Under the Same Sun
by jennycaakes
Summary: They say that college is the best four years of your life. That would be a little more believable if Madge could decide on a major, or if Gale could pay his bills, or if they would just hook up already... Background Everlark and Thelly/Thomstel.
1. the party don't start till i walk in

**Disclaimer: A majority of characters in this story are from The Hunger Games trilogy and do not belong to me.**

**Rated T for use of language, underage drinking, sexual situations and implied sex, and all around maturity. If there ever needs to be a special warning for triggers at the beginning of a chapter I'll be sure to put it at the top. **

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_My goal for this story is to be all inclusive of the college experience, which may at times include some unfavorable situations. It's a story about friendship, family, the fun times of college, and love (duh). I've been working on it for a long time and really hope that you all enjoy it!_

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**My continual love from this point forward is for Alys/juniorstarcatcher who has helped me through the toughest of chapters. Thanks for being great!**

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_ain't got a care in the world, but got plenty of beer_  
_ain't got no money in my pockets, but i'm already here_

* * *

Capitol University is known for two things, and two things only. The first is their academics. Schools _have_ to be known for academics. CU has produced famous lawyers, incredibly graphic designers, renowned surgeons… if it's a job in the world that someone can be good at, CU has made one of the best if not many. Madge Undersee was accepted last year due to her unbelievably high test scores and her participation in multiple extracurricular activities. The workload is tough, a lot tougher than high school, but she can keep up. Her family pays the hefty tuition without even batting an eyelid, knowing that Madge is going to change the world in one way or another.

The second thing Capitol is known for is the partying. How can a college be at the top of the academic charts, as well as being known as a party school? No one knows. Hard workers are clearly hard partiers. That, and rich kids had access to absolutely anything they wanted to party.

Madge wouldn't really know firsthand. She hasn't ever been to a party.

Well, until now.

The cab is crowded and Madge is practically on Gale Hawthorne's lap. He's a giant – she doesn't understand why he didn't sit shotgun and instead insisted Katniss have. Something about Katniss getting carsick, which is totally bull, but Katniss definitely wasn't going to object to sitting upfront. Madge was randomly paired with Katniss as a roommate last year and they went _plenty _of places with Katniss in the back. She was _fine_.

The cab pulls to a halt and all the students dig through their pockets, pulling out the fare and handing it to the man that drove them (who kindly ignored the fact that they had four in the backseat instead of the legal three). They file out of the cab and Gale offers his hand to Madge who wiggles out awkwardly, her thighs having stuck to the pleather seats.

"Alright, Undersee?" he asks with eyebrows high on his forehead.

She blushes and straightens out her dress. "Fine." Her eyes dart to the house they've arrived at and she feels her heart doing a dance routine in her chest. It's not that Madge is opposed to partying, she's just never been at a place so _crowded _before. She much prefers quiet get-togethers with friends where they illegally drink wine in their dorm rooms.

He grins and elbows her gently, "Stick with me and you'll be fine."

"I'd rather vomit than stick with you," she tells him, though there's a hint of playfulness to her voice.

"That's the spirit," Gale grins. He turns to Katniss who is rapidly typing a message on her phone. "So can loverboy get us in for free or what, Catnip?"

She frowns without even looking up, still typing. "He's waiting out back," she answers. "And stop calling him that."

Peeta isn't in the fraternity that's hosting the party, but his older brother is. Another reason Madge isn't too eager to get inside – Taftan Mellark. So, they dated a few times during her freshman year last year. She ended it after he called her a Femi-Nazi. No hard feelings, right?

Peeta swears Taftan was never like this before he got away from home and joined a fraternity.

Everyone that took the cab, including Delly Cartwright and her boyfriend Thom Atwood, makes their way to the back of the house where Peeta is waiting. He meets them halfway when he sees them, happily crossing the yard to Katniss and pulling her into a quick kiss.

"If I knew you'd be greeting us like that I would've used some mouthwash," Gale hums, causing Peeta to pull Katniss closer and flip Gale the finger while doing so. Madge elbows Gale and gives him a sharp look, receiving another grin from him. Ever since Katniss and Peeta started dating in the spring of last year one of Gale's favorite activity is to harass them in any way that he knows how.

Madge turns to Peeta who's pulled away from Katniss by now and greets him with a hug. "Thanks for this, Peeta. I spent all my money on the cab."

"Don't worry about it," he answers. "Taftan owes me one anyway."

The closer they get to the house the more nervous Madge feels. Not only because of Taftan – he's a dickhead with legs – but because she's never been to a frat party before. She looks back at the group she's with and wonders why they even bothered. Peeta and Katniss are going to slip into a dark room, same with Delly and Thom. Gale's probably going to go off on his own too, find some girl to take back to his dorm for the night. Madge doesn't know what to do with herself, maybe she'll befriend a group of freshman and sing Beyoncé at the top of her lungs.

She considers taking Gale up on his offer – to stick with him.

Madge and Katniss being paired as roommates last year was a stroke of luck. They got along incredibly well and were both very easy to live with. They chose to live together this year as well because of how well it worked out and because of what good friends they became. But along with Katniss came Gale Hawthorne and a group of friends Madge never expected to embrace.

Gale's rude and loud and very stubborn (a lot like Katniss save for the _loud_). But he has a good heart, sometimes, usually, and that's what Madge likes about him. He's the most loyal person she's ever met, and dedicated beyond belief. They didn't get along at first because he thought she was a spoiled brat, but since he got over the fact that it isn't her fault her father has a lot of money they've become closer.

Just not close enough to follow him around like she's a lost puppy at a frat party.

She's a sophomore this year who's still sort of trying to find her way, and he's a very well established junior that doesn't need Madge Undersee holding his shirt and gripping his forearm whenever some greasy haired kid looks her way.

They reach the entrance of the party and another wave of uneasiness shoots through her. Taftan's at the door watching them approach. "Well," Peeta gestures to his friends. "Here we are."

Taftan scans the crowd before wrinkling his nose. "And the grocery store incident is forgiven?"

"Erased from my mind completely," Peeta nods. Madge watches the brother's back and forth with a tiny smile. They may look alike with their sandy blonde hair and dark blue eyes, but they are complete opposites. "So if you don't mind—"

"Ah-ah," Taftan stops him. "You can all go in for free. Except _her_." He motions to Madge who suddenly feels her cheeks turning red. "I think she can manage five dollars," Taftan cuts off Peeta who's ready to protest, "considering she left me with an entire check at Red Lobster." Madge frowns, her lips parting to argue as well, but Taftan shrugs. "Suck it up, Sweet Cheeks."

"Taf," Peeta frowns. "You're being a dick."

But Madge isn't going to let Peeta fight this battle. "I had every right to walk out on you after realizing what a sexist piece of _shit_ you are!" Madge shouts. "You are so fucking _privileged _that you couldn't stand the fact that I—"

"_Al_right," Gale cuts her off, stepping in front of her. He digs into his wallet and tosses a five dollar bill in Taftan's direction. "I hope it heals your ego. _Sweet Cheeks_." Gale quickly guides Madge inside and Peeta motions for everyone to follow before Taftan can stop them and kick them out for good. "Christ, Undersee," Gale says once they're inside. He pulls her close considering the hallway they're in is infinitely crammed with people. "Learn to watch your tongue, yeah? It's only five dollars."

"He just—ugh!" She throws up her hands and takes a deep breath. It isn't the money that bothers her, it's the boy that has no respect for women. Taftan infuriates her to no end. She shouldn't _have_ to watch her tongue. "Sorry. Thanks for covering me. I'll pay you when we get back."

"No problem." Gale scans the area the best he can considering it's dark in this room and jerks his head toward where he believes the kitchen to be. "Want to get a drink?"

* * *

As predicted, everyone gets split up. Thankfully they're all in a group message in which Peeta will eventually text when he's ready to leave – he's the designated driver for the night, but was coming from work which meant he couldn't drive them all _to _the party. Hence the cab. What he says goes.

The drink Gale got for Madge, something called Jungle Juice which is just a combination of a lot of vodka and some fruit punch, is so strong it hits her almost immediately. Before she knows what she's doing she's spinning on the dance floor to some loud pop song she can't place.

It's easy to distance herself from real life, considering her real life is _real_ shitty. It's easy to get drunk and let her vision get blurry and dance with strangers she never intends to see ever again. It's all a nice distraction but frat parties aren't her style – she doesn't like the sweaty air or the crowded rooms too much.

Soon enough someone is sliding their hands around her waist. It's much too close for her so she spins around to tell him to _fuck off you fucking dick who do you think you are touching me like this_ but then smiles when she realizes she knows the person holding her.

"Gale!" she cheers. He grins, pulling her closer and dancing with her to the beat. "Are you babysitting me? I told you that you didn't need to watch me!"

"I'm not babysitting you," he laughs. "I just think you're a good dancer."

"I _am_ a good dancer," she concludes. Gale chuckles again and it sounds much nicer than the music they've been playing. "I can handle myself, though," she says, tilting her head backwards so he can hear her in this loud room.

"Trust me, I know you can." Gale lowers his mouth to her ear and whispers, "I thought you were going to rip Taftan to shreds. Would've loved to watch it." Madge giggles and she feels him smile. "You could've taken him."

"Still can," she cheers.

"I'd put money on it," he agrees. "What happened between you two anyway?"

"Oh, Gale," Madge spins in his arms and he's a lot closer than she anticipated. Their noses bump and she loses her breath. Even in the dark his eyes are light, Gale's staring at her lips for a minute before he manages to meet her gaze. "It's _much _too loud to talk about that _here_."

"Mm," Gale grabs her hand and she laughs, lacing their fingers together as they weave through the party. They check a few rooms before settling on one that's a bit quieter than the others and much less crowded. Not a private room, not in the least, but at least they can talk amongst themselves without having to shout. He lowers himself to the couch and she follows suit, almost on top of him again like they were in the cab. "Is this better?" he asks.

"Much," she nods. "So you can't laugh at me if I tell you this story."

He feigns shock, "I would never!"

"Okay, okay," Madge says, shaking her head. "God, I can't believe I'm going to tell you this." He waits patiently for her to get ready, fluffing her golden hair and looking at him pointedly. "Taftan and I were a thing."

"A thing," Gale echoes. "Okay. When?"

"Early my freshman year," Madge waves her hand dismissively. "I don't really know. Whatever. Peeta introduced us and Taftan was charming, yadda yadda. Hard to believe, I know. But it was freshman year and a boy was showing interest in me, I was amazed and felt so lucky, you know?"

He frowns, "What, only _one boy_ showed interest in you? You're shitting me, right?"

"I'm telling the story here," Madge says, poking him in his chest and promptly ignoring his question. Madge has never been very lucky when it comes to boys. "If you want to tell the Taftan story go right ahead!"

Gale rolls his eyes and tries to suppress his smile. "Sorry. Continue."

"_Any_way," Madge starts again. "He's good looking. It sucks because he's one of the worst humans on the planet, but it's true. So naturally I was infatuated with him. Ugh, he hated my favorite band—"

"The Slagheap, right?"

"Right! And he constantly flirted with other girls around me and would cut me off _constantly_ to talk about himself like I care about his stupid stamp collection or something."

Gale chuckles, "He has a stamp collection?"

"I don't know, probably." Gale laughs again and it makes her smile. "Anyway," she says again, "I was getting toward the end of my rope with him. Like it was great he was interested in me and good with words and everything but I definitely deserved someone better than him. So he took me out to Red Lobster one night and I was going to end things gently and we were going to split the check but then he said something so misogynistic that I literally could not sit at that table for another second. God, what was it?" Madge furrows her eyebrows and tries to think. "I don't know. I have no idea, something about how the waitress was a slut because you could see her cleavage or something horribly stupid. I wanted to smack him!"

"Why'd that make you so mad?" Gale asks.

"Because!" Madge throws up her hands. "Women can wear whatever they want! It doesn't make them a slut or not, I _hate_ the word slut, it's so stupid! Like, wow, men can sleep with as many girls as they want and they're heroes but if a girl does it she's a slut! Oh, fucking double standards!"

Gale is incredibly distracted. Madge has fire burning in her pale blue eyes with every word she speaks and he craves it more than anything. His eyes keep dropping to her lips but he scolds himself, knowing that he's got to stop giving into what his body wants and actually pay attention. He's learning a lot, just not enough to realize he shouldn't be sexualizing her while she's talking about how women shouldn't be sexualized.

"So I calmly told him these things because I hate losing my temper in public but he wasn't listening at all, it was like talking to a literal brick. And then I got angry because he wasn't listening and he called me psychotic and oh my _God_ of _course_ a woman standing up for equality is _crazy_." The sarcasm in her voice is palpable and Gale doesn't think he's ever been more attracted to her than in this moment. "He's lucky I didn't dump my drink on him."

"Holy _shit_, Undersee."

Finally she redirects her attention to him, clearly haven forgotten that she was telling Gale a story in the first place. "Don't you dare call me crazy, too."

Gale shakes his head frantically, his mouth stretching into a lopsided grin. "Never. I just can't believe you finally go to your first frat party and you're sitting here talking to me about feminism."

"I will talk about feminism anywhere anytime to any_one_," Madge says with a smile. "Sorry if it's _unattractive_."

"Unattractive?" Gale echoes. "Are you kidding? You are the _hottest_ person at this party right now."

She stares at him for a few seconds, blinking, before her face erupts with such a wicked smile.

Madge grins, her hands reaching up to cup his cheeks, and pulls Gale down for a kiss. Their lips meet desperately. She tastes like fruit punch and his hands tangle in her soft hair. He groans into the kiss as she pulls him closer and grinds her body against his in all the right places.

To be fair, this isn't the first time they've ended up like this. And it probably won't be the last.

"Gale," Madge pants his name as he pulls away to pepper kisses down her throat. They're some of the only ones in their friend group who are single, and it's clear that there's always been something there between them. "Oh, _Christ_." Gale nibbles on her collarbone, leaving marks like he always does. "We, Gale," she grabs his face between her hands and pulls him up to look at her. "We really gotta get out of here."

"Mm," he agrees, dropping his lips to hers again. They've tried hooking up a few times but their friends have always been around and it's never worked. Something (or someone – _dammit_ Peeta) always gets in the way of things actually _happening_. "I'll call a cab?"

"Wait!" she laughs. "Wait a second." The scruff on his chin is driving her mad, her fingers trail along his cheek. "I have to pee."

"Curse you and your small bladder," Gale laughs too. He stretches forward and steals another kiss. "Go! I'll wait."

"You better wait," she says, poking his chest as she slides from his lap. "I'll be quick!" she calls.

"Hurry up!" Gale groans. His fingers stretch for her when she's gone.

Now that he's alone the world spins in front of him. Gale's so drunk that the few lights that are on in the room are blurry. The music in the room beside him is nothing but a murmur. Without Madge to distract him he's realizing how inebriated he really is. He wonders if he'll be able to get it up when he finally gets back to his dorm room. He _prays_ he can get it up. God, that would be embarrassing. Finally getting Madge to himself and not being able to finish.

"Hey, Handsome," a girl suddenly says, pulling him from his drunken thoughts. He looks up to find a blonde wearing a dark dress. She lowers herself onto Gale's lap, throwing her arms around his neck. "Remember me?"

"How could I forget?" he laughs, swooping in to kiss her as soon as he can.

He doesn't realize that her hair isn't curly. He doesn't realize that she doesn't kiss or taste the same. He doesn't realize that she isn't Madge.

* * *

After peeing as quickly as she can, Madge exits the bathroom just in time for someone to push past her and vomit into the bathtub. She frowns, shudders, and makes a sharp turn away. "Oof!" Madge runs smack into someone else. "Katniss!"

"Oh, you look lovely," Katniss frowns, squinting in Madge's direction. "Is that a hickey?"

"Oh, um," Madge rubs at her neck and shrugs. "Maybe." She turns to Peeta who's a step behind Katniss. "As it turns out, I don't think I'm going to need a ride home tonight."

Peeta cocks an eyebrow. "That so?"

"Yeah, um, I'll text you in the morning, though?" Peeta and Katniss exchange a wicked look before they both smirk. "Don't make that face," she says, gesturing at the pair of them. They follow as she walks away, eager to return to Gale. "I know what you're both thinking and you're completely wrong about the situation and—" Madge stops once they reach the room she was in, her heart sinking into her stomach. "Um."

"What?" Peeta chirps from over her shoulder. They all have front row seats to Gale making out with some pretty blonde. "Oh." He reaches out for her, "Madge—"

"It's fine," she shakes her head, stepping away from the room before things get too hot and she throws up. "It's fine." Katniss sighs and presses her hands to her temples. "Disregard everything I said to you."

"Disregarded," Peeta says softly. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and sends a text to the group that they're leaving, allowing Madge's phone to vibrate in her pocket as well. "Ready to go?"

"Get me out of here," Madge pleads. She doesn't look back into the room.

* * *

_A/N: Happy Gadge Day! This is being posted on the 5 year anniversary of the first gadge fic ever written, and I'm so happy to do so! As stated earlier up by the disclaimer this is going to be a happy fun wonderful story but college is also stressful and scary and life exists outside of the campus. There will **never** be **any** sexual assault in this story which I feel is important to mention. But I absolutely promise this will include all of the college greatness (beer pong, football games, midterms... etc.) I really hope you enjoy this (let me know if you do -hint hint). You're all lovely people! Love, Jenn__  
_


	2. a brand new world takes shape

_fault lines tremble underneath my glass house_  
_but i put it out of my mind_

* * *

Gale wakes up in the morning when the sunlight streaming through the window hits his face. He groans, his head is killing him, but feels some sort of comfort deep inside of him as he reaches for the girl beside him.

His fingers stretch but find no one. "Madge?" he croaks, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Gale finds a girl across the room pulling on her dress from last night and clearly realizes at once that she is _not_ Madge Undersee. "Shit."

"Shit is right," she smiles at him. "I'm Amber."

"Shit," Gale rubs at his face again, forcing himself to sit up. "Fuck, I am _so_ sorry—"

"It's okay." She sighs, "In fact, I thought you were someone else too." She wiggles into her dress and smiles politely at him, her makeup smudged and her long hair messy from the night before. "I mean I had fun, Gabe, but—"

"Gale," he corrects tiredly.

"Ah, see? No hard feelings." She pulls on her shoes and starts toward his bedroom door. "Good luck with Madge," she calls over her shoulder as she exits the room, pulling the door shut behind her.

Gale groans again, dropping back onto his mattress and pulling his pillow over his face. He wills his headache gone, but knows it's going to follow him for the rest of his day.

* * *

Gale only manages to drag himself out of bed when the smell of coffee wafts through the walls. After checking his trashcan for a disposed condom and thanking all that is heavenly that he used protection, he meets Thom in their kitchen who already has a mug waiting for him. Gale drinks greedily and lowers his head to the counter when the coffee starts to burn his throat.

Their dorm is a lot more extravagant than most – one of the perks of being in the honors college. He and Thom have been friends since freshman year when they were roomed together in the cheaper honors dorms, but they've worked their way up the dorm life. Elkwood Hall is the best it gets. They have a kitchen with a full fridge and a working oven, two separate bedrooms (with _queen sized beds_ and their own_bathrooms_) and a small living space with two couches and a TV with cable. It could be worse.

It's a part scholarship/part pay living arrangement. The honors college pays for most of it, but because of how incredible the place is they've got to dig into their own pockets as well. It's a hefty price but worth it in the end, Gale thinks.

"So…" Thom starts awkwardly.

"Fuck if I know," Gale grumbles. He's such a _pinche idiota._ He presses the heels of his hands to his eyes and tries to make sense of last night. "One minute I'm getting ready to bring Undersee back here and the next I'm waking up with some chick name _Amber_."

"She was pretty," Thom offers.

"She wasn't who I wanted," Gale murmurs tiredly. "_¡Carajo!_"

"No need to bring out the Spanish, dude."

Gale was raised in a fluently Spanish household. He only ever uses Spanish when he's really really drunk, or really really angry. Gale groans another time. He's not someone who just sleeps around anymore. There was a time in Gale's life (freshman year, namely) when he would bring back any willing girl and kick them out in the morning without any regrets. He's different now – multiple trips to the health center because of STD scares finally got him to think clearly. That, and there's one girl he's going for specifically now. "Do you think she knows?"

"Who, Madge?" Thom lifts his shoulders. "Probably. Why wouldn't she? If she walked away then said she'd be coming back, she would've came back to see you and Amber."

"Fuck," Gale groans. He drags his hands angrily through his hair. "I really fucked it up now didn't I?"

"Well I think your plan of getting smashed and trying to seduce Madge isn't a good one in the first place, so I can't really comment. Last night proves me right." Thom lifts his shoulders as Gale lifts his head. "Sorry, Gale, I think there are better ways to win over a girl. I would know. I have a girlfriend."

"Oh, fuck off," Gale scowls. "That isn't my plan and you know it."

"Then what's your plan?"

Clearly trying to seduce Madge Undersee while drunk isn't how he plans on getting her to go out with him. He's in this for the long run – wants to take her on date and hold her hand and all the things that go along with a relationship. But short term? His body is desperate. Sometimes he doesn't think certain things through. Like last night when he was clearly so eager to get home and bed her that he didn't realize it wasn't even _her_. How is that even possible?

Eventually Gale sighs, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know."

"All I'm saying," Thom says, "is that there are better ways to go about this." Thom drinks the rest of his coffee then sits the cup in the sink. "If you ever want some advice you know where I live."

Gale rolls his eyes as Thom smirks, walking out of their kitchen.

* * *

Madge wakes up to quiet whispers. Across the room Katniss and Peeta are smushed together on Katniss's twin sized mattress talking about something in hushed tones, clearly not wanting to wake her. There are about ten feet between her and Katniss's bed. As far as Madge knows, Katniss and Peeta have never had sex with Madge in the room, but sometimes when they wake up cuddled like this (considering Peeta would rather stay at theirs then go back home to his crazy roommate) Madge has her doubts.

Madge is sick of living in a dorm. All that fits in their room is one dresser (which they share – Katniss has the top two drawers and Madge the bottom two), two wardrobes (one for each of them, though Madge's is overflowing), a minifridge with a microwave on top, and two desks. It's absolutely cluttered. It doesn't help that Katniss is messy and leaves her things all over the place.

Madge reaches over to her desk which is inches away and checks the time. Almost 11. Her head hurts, but not as bad as it would if Peeta hadn't made her chug a few bottles of water before she collapsed in bed.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Peeta calls across the room. Madge rolls away from the couple and towards the wall, curling into herself. She can't get rid of the sinking feeling in her stomach. "Aw, you're not even going to say good morning?"

"Morning," she mumbles.

"Ah, there she is." Peeta climbs out of Katniss's bed and crosses to the window, pulling the string that lifts the blinds and filling the room with bright sunshine. Madge groans and buries her head under a pillow. "Upside daisy, Madge!"

"Why are you such a _morning_ person," Madge mutters through the pillow. Peeta chuckles, lowering himself onto the edge of her bed and pulling the pillow from her face. Madge blinks into the light and Peeta comes into focus. He frowns. "What?"

"Your throat," he murmurs, his eyes scanning over what must be a trail of hickeys. "Don't fret, though. I've had worse." He looks toward Katniss with a grin. "Given worse."

"Shut up," Katniss says.

Still grinning, he turns back to Madge who's smiling as well now. After a bit of quiet he asks, "You okay?"

"Fine," she answers immediately. Just _fine_. She may be hopelessly in like with Gale Hawthorne but she never would've expected anything to come out of it, especially while they were both drunk. They've made out plenty of times, last night just felt _different_ to her. Maybe it was because he bothered to sit through one of her many rants. Maybe she just had too much to drink. "Why?"

Peeta hesitates, "You remember last night, right?"

"I remember I dodged a bullet," Madge says, willing her voice to stay even and cocking an eyebrow. Katniss smirks from her spot at the quip of her longtime friend. Madge doesn't need to elaborate. "Come on," she drags her hands through her hair and forces herself out of bed. "Let's go get something to eat. I'm starving."

* * *

Sunday afternoon while Gale is on the phone there's a loud banging on his door. Startled, he rushes to answer it and frowns when Katniss is the one to burst through. Katniss opens her mouth to say something but he holds up his hand, pointing to the phone.

"Yup. Uh-huh," he says. Gale returns to where he was sitting when Katniss first knocked and jots down a few numbers on a notepad. "October 14th?" Katniss sinks onto the couch with a frown. "Yeah. No, that's no problem." Dropping the pen Gale reaches up, and scratches the creases on his forehead. "No, I've got it. Thanks again." He hangs up his phone and groans, tossing it onto the spot beside Katniss.

"Who was that?" she asks.

"Financial aid," he mutters. Gale drops his head into his hands. "Christ, I've got no fucking money." Katniss sighs and slinks back awkwardly in the chair. "If I don't have the amount for the dorm paid off by October they're kicking me out. Putting me on 12th street." The halls on 12th street are for people with no money. Obviously. There's no air conditioning or heat and no matter how many times a maintenance request is put in the showers will never work properly. "I'll figure something out."

"I can help," Katniss tries.

"I've just got to pick up another job," Gale tells her, shaking his head. "Or two." Because he's not already drowning in school work. Finally he looks up. "What's up?"

Katniss blinks, clearly haven forgotten what it is she came here for, when she suddenly remembers. "What's going on with you and Madge?" she asks.

"_Basta ya_," Gale groans again, dropping his head back into his hands. _Stop it_. He and Katniss were some of the only kids in the whole neighborhood that could speak Spanish. Their dads were friends and though Katniss's mother didn't speak it, Katniss was just as fluent as Gale. "Katniss I have way too much shit going on for you to throw this at me, too." On top of his debt Gale can't have Katniss weaseling into his mind about Madge.

"She's my best friend, okay?"

"Then ask _her_," he frowns. Katniss and Madge being so close is exactly one of the reasons Gale _cannot_ talk to Katniss about it.

"I just—I know how you are. You file through women like they're _files_ and—"

"Great analogy."

"_And_," Katniss picks up, scowling at him, "I just don't want either of you to get hurt." Katniss tugs awkwardly on her braid and looks toward the ground. "I don't want you acting like you used to be. Especially with her."

Gale shakes his head, looking at his friend again. "I'm not like that anymore."

Katniss hesitates. "You brought a girl back just last night, Gale." As much as she wants to believe that he's not the same hormone driven teenager he was it only takes one slipup for people to revert to their old ways.

"Don't be," Gale shakes his head again. "And I don't need you playing mom. I've got my own parents to keep me in check, thank you very much."

Katniss sighs, "Whatever." She picks at her shirt with a frown. They never really have been very good at elaborating their feelings for one another, and Katniss is honestly just trying to protect him. "How much do you owe? For the dorm?" She won't admit it but Katniss thinks Gale's money problem and his drinking and women problem have a lot to do with each other.

"Approximately," Gale reaches forward to grab the notepad from the table and lets out a deep breath, "four thousand dollars for the dorm alone. Tuition can be paid off by December but that's another five."

"_¡Maldita sea!_ Jesus, Gale. Didn't you get any grants or loans or anything?"

"Apparently the state aid never processed. I'll call in the morning but that's only two thousand and I'd still need another, what, seven thousand?" Capitol University isn't known for being cheap, and this amount is only what's left after the hefty fees he paid earlier. "And loans, we already have a few out but Ma doesn't want anymore because I'm already going to be in debt. There're a few grants back home that I'm working on too. Better late than never, I guess?"

"And your bank account?" Gale leans forward and scribbles on the notepad before holding it up to show her. A big fat _zero_. "I thought you were working at that snow cone stand?"

"Ah, yes," Gale extends his hands, "I receive an infinite amount of money from a snow cone stand." Katniss reaches for a pillow sitting on the couch and chucks it at him. "I _am_ working there," Gale laughs, dodging her throw. "But you know it's not a lot of money. Plus shifts are short and that'll be closing in a few weeks because the season is ending." He drags his hands through his hair. "I went broke buying books. Pop had to lay someone off at the auto shop because he's been funneling so much money to me he couldn't afford to pay the poor guy. Just a kid in high school, but still." Gale grabs the pillow Katniss threw and squeezes it once before sighing. "I just wish this wasn't so fucking hard."

* * *

With Katniss gone, bailing out after lunch with some stuff to do, Peeta and Madge take to the afternoon. They stop by his dorm so he can pick up some books and avoid talking about his psycho roommate.

They return to Madge's room and sprawl out across the room, Peeta claiming Katniss's bed, as they start on some homework. Peeta's bad at staying on track, he's busying texting and chewing on the cap of his pen as though he's distracted about something.

Madge's own phone is sitting on her chest as she reads a book for class, and it feels heavy. She's been waiting all morning for her dad to call with the latest update on her mother's condition, but it's been hours since he texted her and she's yet to hear anything. They're probably back in the hospital. Madge prays they don't receive bad news. She isn't sure her mother can _take _any more bad news. _Madge_ isn't sure she can handle anymore either. It's been a rough weekend.

Last spring Mrs. Undersee was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. They started treatment immediately but since it took them so long to catch it there was no guarantee anything would work. Mrs. Undersee stayed optimistic, even when they told her that the cancer was spreading. They tell the family that there's nothing else that can be done. Madge's father is persistent and willing to pay for the best treatment, he just can't see that his wife is in too deep.

People hardly ever recover from stage four.

"Hey, Madge?" Peeta calls. She turns on her side and finds him staring at her with his big blue eyes, which _always _mean trouble. "I didn't want to ask too many questions with Katniss around. But you really are okay, right?"

"I'm fine, Peeta," Madge tells him again like she did this morning. Of course Madge isn't going to tell Katniss that she's hopelessly into Gale Hawthorne (they've been best friends since _childhood_) but Peeta, of _course_ Peeta knows. "I just, I hate how much I like him."

"I know," Peeta says softly. "I'm sorry it's not working out. But it still could, you know."

"Maybe," she shrugs.

"He's not the guy he used to be," Peeta continues. Madge rolls onto her back again and stares at the ceiling. "Gale, he," Peeta struggles for words, trying his hardest not to give Madge false hope but be honest at the same time. "He cares about you in some way. He has to."

"Maybe." Madge shrugs again. "It's not the end of the world. At least I get to make out with him periodically, right?"

Peeta snorts, "Right. Because that's the goal."

She smiles, "It doesn't hurt." Madge fiddles with her phone case and refrains from looking Peeta in the eye. "I mean, sure, I like him. But we're barely friends." She pauses. "Right?"

"It could still work out into something," Peeta repeats. "I'm rooting for it."

* * *

Monday rolls around and the alcohol is returned to the bottom drawers of dressers and the textbooks return to the desks as school work begins again. Peeta stays over a few nights during the week but is usually zonked out before Katniss, drooling onto her pillow as Madge takes Snapchat photos to send to all their friends.

Gale stops by their room a few times too to say hello and get some studying done, because apparently Thom and Delly are _very _vocal in bed and he _cannot_ focus in that sort of atmosphere. Madge pays him back for covering her at the party and they talk a bit about current life, but nothing past that. They make awkward eye contact more than once, his eyes drop to her lips and her cheeks turn pink, and more than once Madge wants to crawl into her skin and never come out.

But Gale tries his hardest to make things easy between them like it had been before the weekend. He cracks his usual baker jokes about Peeta loving buns and makes a few jokes about his own character which get Madge to smile – which is a good sign. By Thursday, the fourth night in a row Gale's come over, it seems as though their drunken kisses are in the back of their minds.

When Peeta comes over and claims Katniss's bed, kicking Gale off, Gale crawls over to Madge's and stretches out. She frowns at him from her desk.

"How did you _ever_ fit on one of these beds?" she asks, his legs hanging off the edge.

He smirks, "I didn't."

It's not the same as it used to be, but it's definitely something. At least they're easily communicating without any heavy pauses.

And then, that Friday, when Gale swears that after his afternoon nap he's going to get absolutely plastered so he can work up something cheesy and romantic to say to Madge Undersee that he can pretend he forgets while he's drunk so they can talk about it when he's sober (despite how shitty a plan that is because let's face it, Gale never came up with a plan in the first place and alcohol gives him courage), he gets a phone call.

He sits up in bed when his phone screams at him and because of the panic he has a sinking feeling in his stomach. He normally doesn't receive phone calls during this time and he should really choose a ringtone that isn't so loud. Still half asleep because naps make people drowsier than they should, he fumbles for his phone and answers the call.

"Hello?" he croaks.

"Gale?" It's Madge, which isn't relieving at all. "Are you awake?"

"Not really." He rubs at his eyes with his freehand. "Are you okay? What's up?"

"I texted you like six times," Madge says.

He snorts, despite the fact that his hands are still sweating. "You were worried about me?"

"No. I mean, yes, I mean—I need a favor." He blinks a few times adjusting to the yellow afternoon light filling his room. "I know it's short notice and I know you're probably busy but it's important."

"Shit, Undersee." He sits up fully and starts sliding off the bed. "What's wrong?"

"I need a ride home," she tells him. Her voice is high and soft like it always gets when she's nervous. "I know it's kind of far away and you probably have other plans but I don't have a car on campus and Peeta's working and Katniss is still in class and I don't have—I can't find another way. It's a family emergency and—"

"Okay," he exhales. He's already sliding his shoes on. He may be her last resort but at least she feels as though she can come to him in this sort of situation, and that alone makes him feel alright. "When do you need me?"

"Now?" she asks.

"Yeah. No problem. On my way. I'll be over in five."

By the time Madge hangs up, thanking him an incredible amount of times, Gale's already out the door. He can't recall the last time Madge ever asked him for a favor, and it's probably because it's never happened before. They don't even text, really, just the occasional Snapchat every now and then. So this must really be important. He drives away without giving the car much time to start up and zooms through campus. It's full of college kids with backpacks full of textbooks and dirty laundry to take home to mom and dad for the weekend but the traffic isn't bad. And like he told her, Gale's there in five minutes.

Madge is waiting outside her building chewing on her bottom lip and staring at her cellphone. He skids to a stop in front of her and she looks up, a mixture of relief and nerves flood her face. She quickly makes her way to his jeep, throwing a backpack in the back seat and climbing into shotgun.

"Thank you so much," she says as she pulls the door shut. Madge buckles as Gale pulls away from the curb. "I'll pay you for gas. I know this is an inconvenience, I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it Undersee."

She dips her head. "It's north on the highway."

Gale makes the turn and they fall into silence. He's never seen her look so worried before, not even during finals last year when the test was make or break. Her eyebrows are furrowed together, she's going to make her bottom lip fall off.

Gale switches lanes. "Everything okay?" he finally asks. The silence is way too thick for him. "At home?"

"Hm?" Madge pulls her gaze over to him but then quickly looks away. "Yeah. It's fine." He nudges her with his elbow across the cup holder and she looks back toward him. "It's fine," Madge says again. She lifts her hand, "The next exit on the right." Gale switches lanes again. "It's really fine."

"Your repetition of the phrase is doing little to convince me," Gale murmurs. Madge sighs and directs her eyes out the window. "You don't have to tell me. I get that it's none of my business."

"Yeah," she exhales. Not like she's annoyed, because she isn't. She's just so, so tired. "It's just, my mom." Gale turns his head to look at her and finds her eyes beginning to fill with tears. She quickly blinks them away. "It's fine."

"Hey, hey," Gale says softly. "It's okay. I said you don't have to tell me." She squeezes her eyes tightly together and nods her head. "We don't have to talk. Pick a station."

Madge wipes the corners of her eyes with the back of her hands and she nods again, reaching across the jeep to the radio and fiddling with the stations. She smiles gratefully at him but says nothing else, focusing on the soft music that plays through the speakers. They don't speak the rest of the ride other than to relay directions.

About forty five minutes later they pull up to the Undersee residence, a house nearly as big as one of the dormitory buildings at school. They have to be buzzed in through a gate and the driveway is as long as a highway. Madge hops out the side and grabs her bag from the back.

"I'll pay you for gas on Monday," she says, leaning in before she slams the door shut. "I promise. Gale, thank you so much. For everything."

"Don't worry about it." She looks like she wants to say more but nothing is coming out. He waves his hand and clears his throat, "Go on. It's alright."

She smiles at him again, a smile so sweet it makes him feel nauseous. "Thanks," she exhales. Madge slings her backpack on and quickly paces up the driveway where a car is waiting for her. He drives away once she climbs in, and prays that everything is okay.

* * *

_A/N: I know Madge and Gale's relationship is sort of complicated but I'm writing from what I've seen in college during my own experience. I have a lot of friends that would randomly make out while they were drunk (and do other, er, sexual things) and then return to being friends like none of it happened. So clearly that's not everyone's experience but it's what I've seen and dealt with. So while there's some awkward tension between M/G I don't think it would totally disrupt their awkward friendship. College is a weird time in which you can be friends with people you don't talk to often. It's weird. I don't know. I hope this makes sense? Please give feedback on this!_

_Also I really wanted this chapter to introduce how college has problems outside of studying for tests and writing papers, how home life is just as influential even when you're away. Please let me know your thoughts on these situations! x_

_Edit: I've gone back and added some Spanish to the chapter! If it doesn't line up, let me know. A lot of people said it was sudden how I made Gale/Katniss speak Spanish and be Hispanic so I wanted to change just a few lines. Thanks!_


	3. i haven't seen sunlight in days

_why does the world as i know it_  
_keep on bringing me down_

* * *

That first Monday back Madge seeks him out. They've seen each other a few times in one of the buildings they have class in, and she weaves through the crowds of students when she spots him. Madge tugs on the back of Gale's shirt, causing him to spin around immediately. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes are the most incredible blue, and her lips are parted. And then she licks them. God, he's so entranced with her lips that he doesn't realize he's staring.

"Hi," she finally says. Gale shifts on his feet and lifts his eyes back to hers. "I, um." She digs in her back pocket and pulls out a twenty dollar bill. "I know how you are about fairness and stuff so I did the math and it came out to about twenty." She extends to money to him. "Here." Gale stares at it for a moment before she nearly forces it into his hand. "Please just take it," she says quickly.

"Sorry, thanks." Gale awkwardly shoves the money into his back pocket. He didn't expect her to seek him out and pay her in the halls. Looks kind of sketchy. "You know, it feels like you're always paying me, Undersee. What's that about?"

Finally her lips lift into a tiny smile, "If you're insinuating that I'm sleeping with you for money, have a little self-respect. You're worth more than a twenty." Gale chuckles and shakes his head at her, causing her smile to widen at her joke. They've never slept together but he was glad she took this approach to answer his quip. "I'm gonna be late for class," she says, looking over her shoulder toward the direction she needs to go. "But thank you. Honestly, Gale."

"_Honestly_, Undersee," he echoes. "It wasn't a problem at all. If you ever need a ride just let me know, okay?"

His unexpected offer startles her. She had been ready to disappear into the crowds but now she finds herself frozen. "Like, ever?"

"Like, ever," he nods.

She blinks a few times. "Okay." Madge bites down on her bottom lip. "Are you sure? I mean, it might… I'm trying to get a car on campus but until then, my mom, she…" Madge trails off and lets out a deep breath. "It might be more often than you think."

"As long as I don't have work then it won't be a problem. Maybe I'll even make a playlist." She tries to frown at him but it's too hard considering her smile. "Thought you were going to be late for class?"

"I—yeah." Madge nods and brushes her hair behind her ears, a nervous tick. "I am. Thank you so much, Gale. Sincerely." And then as a cherry on top he smiles at her and she nearly swoons. God, his teeth are white. "Okay. I have to go," she walks backwards. "I'll, um, text you sometime?"

"Sure," he grins. "See ya, Undersee."

She spins away, waving over her shoulder, and practically sprints to her next class. She makes it to English 204 with two minutes to spare, and the professor is five minutes late, so she could've talked to Gale for a few more minutes.

In the time she spends waiting for class to start she pulls out her phone and debates if she should send something to Gale now. Ah, screw it.

_From Madge – 1:03 PM  
Hi. Made it to class on time._

Gale gets the message before he can turn his phone on silent and the boy sitting next to him jumps when Gale's text tone beeps. He sheepishly apologizes to his class and makes a big deal of putting his phone away while he's really just hiding it under the table. He stares at the message with a little smile.

**_From Gale – 1:04 PM  
Phew. I was worried for a second_**

Madge smiles just a little bit and fiddles with her phone, looking around the classroom to make sure no one's seen her texting. She's never really been one to text in class – always found it rude, but this class is so boring that the professor could fall asleep teaching it and no one would even notice.

**_From Gale – 1:11 PM  
What class are you in?_**

_From Madge – 1:11 PM  
English._

**_From Gale – 1:12 PM  
Oh? I just realized I don't know what your major is_**

_From Madge – 1:13 PM  
That makes two of us._

**_From Gale – 1:13 PM  
What are you thinking?_**

Madge stares at her phone for a very long time before forcing herself to take a few notes on whatever the professor is speaking about. Her eyes keep darting down to her phone waiting for the screen to light up with another message from Gale but he doesn't send anything. She doesn't know how to respond. There are so many different things Madge likes to do, and quite a few that she's pretty good at it. It's so difficult to narrow down her field.

_From Madge – 1:20 PM  
No clue._

**_From Gale – 1:20 PM  
Youll figure it out_**

**_From Gale – 1:21 PM  
Prof caught me texting_**

**_From Gale – 1:21 PM  
Im still doing it_**

**_From Gale – 1:22 PM  
Im risking my education for you undersee_**

**_From Gale – 1:22 PM  
And youre not even responding_**

Madge laughs and bites on her bottom lip.

_From Madge – 1:23 PM  
Pay attention, Gale!_

**_From Madge – 1:23 PM  
You have my full attention undersee which Im pretty sure is why I was caught texting_**

_From Madge – 1:23 PM  
I meant to your class!_

**_From Gale – 1:24 PM  
Right_**

* * *

Katniss is in the room when Madge finally returns from class. She leaps from her bed and speeds toward her, flinging her arms around Madge and pulling her close. "When'd you get back?" Katniss asks. "You made me worry!"

Madge pulls away slightly and cocks an eyebrow. "Who are you and what have you done with my roommate?" Katniss scowls and drops her arms stepping away. "Got back this morning," Madge says, motioning to her bag filled with clothes by her desk. "You were already in lecture. And then _I _had class so…" Madge steps away and slings her backpack off.

"You could've texted," Katniss frowns.

Madge shrugs and drops into her desk chair. "I had a lot on my mind."

Katniss stares at Madge for a moment before letting out a deep sigh, moving to sit in her own desk chair. "Any news?" she asks. Madge has been keeping Katniss updated about her mother ever since Mrs. Undersee was diagnosed.

Madge is quiet for a moment. "Yeah, actually." She clears her throat awkwardly to get rid of the lump she didn't know was there and focuses on a spot on the carpet. "They say she'll be lucky if she makes it to March."

"Madge," Katniss gasps. "I'm so—"

"It's okay," Madge cuts her off. "It's okay. I just, I don't want to talk about it." Katniss nods fervently as she stares at Madge. "I have a, um, paper to write," she announces. Madge digs in her backpack for her laptop and Katniss continues to watch her with a sad look in her eyes.

"Madge…" Katniss trails off quietly. "Your mom could get better."

"She won't." The cancer has reached her mother's lungs, and will shortly reach her brain. "Just drop it, Katniss. Please."

And reluctantly, Katniss nods and sighs, turning back to her own work.

* * *

Peeta comes over that night with a box of fresh sugar cookies – Madge's favorites. She eyes him warily as he drops the box on her desk and hugs her from behind. "There were extras," he lies.

"Sure there were," Madge rolls her eyes, but leans into his hug anyway. She knows that Katniss must've texted him.

"There should _always_ be extras because I use dough the _correct_ way," Peeta hums. He returns to Katniss and kisses the top of her head before kicking off his shoes and climbing into her bed, receiving a frown from his girlfriend. "Work was wonderful, thanks for asking," he chirps. He works at a bakery down the street of the school where a lot of college kids go to hang out and get work done. Knowing Madge isn't going to want to talk about her mother he decides to change the subject, "They gave me a raise."

"That's great!" Madge smiles. "Peeta!"

"Now he thinks he can eat the icing and get away with it," Katniss says, throwing an empty water bottle at him. Peeta grins, dodging her throw, and she smiles back at him.

"I already do that," Peeta waves his hand. "How_ever_ the point of that declaration is that they are allowing me off this weekend. Can we go to the game?" Madge's smile quickly fades and she returns to her laptop, resuming her typing frantically without saying anything. "Oh, come _on_ Madge!" Peeta groans, flopping backwards on the bed. "I _never_ get to go to the game! You've got to come with us!"

Madge gnaws on her bottom lip. She's always liked football games, she just isn't really in the mood. She doesn't think she will be, either.

"It could help," Katniss says quietly. Madge's fingers pause on her keys.

"Pretty please?" Peeta asks. With a cherry on top?" She turns her head and finds him sticking out his bottom lip and trying to work his puppy dog eyes on her.

She turns to Katniss, "How do you put up with him?"

Katniss smirks, "He was _your_ friend _first_."

Madge sighs as Peeta begins to fake sniffle. "Fine, fine," she groans. "Fine. But you're getting the tickets."

* * *

Gale makes a quick trip out of his room to answer the knock on the door. Even for the three minutes he's in the open he can hear Delly and Thom being creative in Thom's room. With a groan he lets the guest in and then they retreat back into Gale's room, shutting the door tightly to block out the noise.

"How do you stand it?" Bristel asks, combing her fingers through her hair as she sinks to the edge of Gale's bed.

"He's had to put up with it for me long enough," Gale answers, sliding back into his desk and resuming his homework. "How do _you_?"

Bristel lives down the hall, she and Thom and Gale have been pretty good friends since freshman year. She plays on the volleyball team and is very independent and wants to run a business and is hopelessly in love with Thomas Atwood, who is currently screwing the life out of his girlfriend in the room over.

She frowns at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Ah, you've retreated back into the _I'm-not-in-love-with-one-of-my-best-friend's _stage." He looks at her from over his shoulder. "Or is the denial stage? Are they the same thing?"

"Fuck off, Gale," Bristel scowls. She crosses her arms tightly over her chest at his smirk. "I told you to forget about it."

"Forget about it?" Gale snorts and returns to his work. "You first, Bris." She groans loudly and drops backwards onto his bed, pulling one of his pillows over her face. "Hey, I still say that you should tell him."

"He has a girlfriend now," her voice comes out muffled. "I can't do that." Gale sighs and presses a few numbers into his calculator. Thom would've moved mountains for Bristel freshman year but she was too busy learning how to balance school and sports. Now that she's fully accomplished that feat and is finally reciprocating his feelings, he moves on. "I can't be mad that he didn't wait for me," she says, yanking the pillow off. "Right?"

"Mm-hm," Gale nods.

"That's not his fault, it's mine. I mean we've been doing this for three years. I should've said something sooner."

"Mm-hm."

"Just like you should say something to that pretty blonde you keep hoping will text you."

"Mm-what?" Gale stops his work immediately and spins his chair to face her. "What do _you_ know?"

"I know that the only reason Madge Undersee is your best friend on Snapchat is because you _only use Snapchat to Snapchat her." _Gale scowls and Bristel grins, rolling on his bed and propping herself up with her elbows. Her dark hair cascades over her shoulders. "I'm not wrong."

"You're not," he admits with clenched teeth. "But you should mind your own." Almost as if Bristel planned it with Madge his phone lights up, a Snapchat from none other than _strawberryfields3. _He continues to scowl as Bristel's grin widens but refuses to give her any satisfaction on the subject, opening the snap in front of her.

He caves a bit, his lips tugging up into a smile, as his screen is filled with a picture of Madge holding a sugar cookie over her eye like a pirate. _Peeta loves me most_, it reads. He shamelessly takes a photo of himself with an eyebrow raised sending back, _Does Catnip know?_

"You're terrible at flirting," Bristel chirps from over his shoulder.

"Yeah, and you're terrible at feelings," he responds with a look. Her smile flickers as she narrows his eyes at him. "Did you come over to criticize my life or for me to criticize yours?"

"Actually I came over to study," she frowns.

"Ah. Right."

* * *

"How do you not own anything school related?" Delly asks as they walk through the university store. "I swear I've seen you wearing _something _with a CU on it _somewhere_!" Madge frowns and fingers through a few racks of sweatshirts. It's supposed to be a brisk afternoon the day of the game. "Right?"

"T-shirts, sure," Madge says with a sigh. "But I don't know. It's about time I get some school spirit." Capitol University has nice colors, black and silver with an accent of deep red. It's classy and allows them to have beautiful gardens of red flowers decorating campus. "What about this one?" she asks, holding up a jacket to show Delly, who promptly wrinkles her nose. "Ugh."

"If you can't find one I can just ask Thom to lend you one," she says. Madge wrinkles her nose too. "Or would that be weird?"

"A little weird. You _are_ dating the guy, Dell."

"Hm." She weaves around a few racks to a new set of sweatshirts. "Gale, then? I'm not dating him. And you _should _be." Madge wrinkles her nose again, promptly turning away from the hideous sweater that Delly's looking at. "Oh, Madge, it was a _joke_."

"Ha-ha." Delly giggles as Madge rolls her eyes and storms away. "I swear if you say anything it will be the end of you, Delilah Cartwright."

"Uh-oh, full name. Pulling out the big guns now." Madge has to resist the urge to flip her off. Delly's well-intentioned but such a hassle sometimes. "Cross my heart, Madge," Delly hums, steering over to her. "Ooh! This is a nice one!" The sweatshirt she's holding up is infinitely plain. "No? Okay, we'll keep looking."

As Madge scans the store her phone vibrates in her pocket. She pulls it out absentmindedly and her heart stutters unfamiliarly.

**_From Gale – 2:25 PM  
Are you going to the game this weekend?_**

Madge casts a glance over her shoulder at Delly who's preoccupied looking at CU bumper stickers and quickly responds. She wonders if she should ask him of someone told him or if he's actually wondering, but decides against it at the last second.

_From Madge – 2:25 PM  
Unfortunately._

**_From Gale – 2:26 PM  
Unfortunately? Lame. Wheres your spirit_**

_From Madge – 2:26 PM  
Delly has consumed it. She's unstoppable. Not my fault!_

**_From Gale – 2:27 PM  
If there was an emoji rolling its eyes Id send it now_**

**_From Gale – 2:27 PM  
We should all sit together_**

**_From Gale – 2:27 PM  
Unless youre going to be pouting the whole time_**

**_From Gale – 2:27 PM  
Cant have that sort of negativity_**

_From Madge – 2:28 PM  
And I'm the lame one? –rolling eyes emoji-_

**_From Gale – 2:28 PM  
Hey that rolling eye emoji is my thing you cant steal it_**

**_From Gale – 2:28 PM  
Im gonna market it_**

**_From Gale – 2:29 PM  
Anyway think about it. Wine afterwards at mine with cah_**

_From Madge – 2:29 PM  
Cards Against Humanity and wine? Why didn't you start with that? I'm in._

**_From Gale – 2:29 PM  
Howd i know the wine would get you?_**

**_From Gale – 2:29 PM  
See you then_**

"Who ya texting?" Madge leaps at the sound of Delly's voice and nearly drops her phone. Delly grins and holds up a sweatshirt. "This one, Madge. You have to feel the inside. It's so _soft_." Madge smiles politely and reaches into the sweatshirt, feeling the soft fabric inside. "So how's Gale?"

Madge frowns and yanks her hand away from the sweatshirt. "He's fine, I'm sure. How are you?"

"Oh, you're terrible at changing the subject." Delly holds up the item, "Do you want this or not?" Madge studies the tasteful design on the front and the accents to the words before tipping her head. "Good," Delly tosses it at her and then grabs her hand, pulling her toward the cashier. "Honestly, you're all about equal opportunity," Delly says as the cashier scans the sweatshirt. "Might as well ask him out."

"I will _not_," Madge's frown deepens.

Delly shrugs, "You'll never know unless you try."

"And you'll never have any friends if you keep running your mouth," Madge huffs. She slides her credit cart over to the cashier and narrows her eyes at Delly who only smiles back. Her positivity and happiness is just _too _much sometimes.

* * *

Gale shifts around his living room trying to get the best Wi-Fi signal on his phone as it connects to a video call with his mother. Finally the image comes into view and Gale grins, his little sister Posy is sitting on his mother's lap.

"Hey, Ma," Gale says, "Pose."

"_¡Hola_ _Gale!_" the little one waves, smiling happily. "Your picture is so fuzzy!"

"I know, I know, my internet isn't very good." Gale pays an incredible amount of tuition for schooling, you think they'd be able to get some decent Wi-Fi. "How're my favorite girls?"

Posy launches into a summary of everything she's done since the last time she talked to Gale. At four years old she's loud and proud and virtually unstoppable. Gale doesn't mind. He'd much rather listen to his little sister talk about sharing crayons than some professor explaining the concept of gravity. He nods enthusiastically and encourages her to talk, watching as his mother braids her hair as she goes. Finally after a few minutes of nonstop rambling Posy stop speaking, frowning at him.

"_¿Qué pasa?_ What's wrong Posy?" he asks. Hazelle has been trying to be a bilingual as possible, saying Posy's in her _prime_ to learn Spanish, meaning Gale has to speak it to her, too

She jabs her finger at the screen. "You haven't visited in so long."

"It's only been a few weeks," he tries. "I'm really busy at school. I'll come see you soon though, okay?"

"Okay," Posy nods. She blows a kiss toward the screen and tells Gale she loves him before leaping from Hazelle's lap and sprinting toward the living room. His mother laughs and readjusts the phone so she can see him and Gale laughs too.

"She's 100%, 100% of the time," Hazelle says with a smile. "And also _correcto._ You haven't been home since you moved in, Gale."

"I know," he frowns. It's mid-September and all of his professors and beginning to pile on the real workload. "I could potentially be there this weekend, but…"

"But there's another game," Hazelle finishes for him, "and you just _have_ to go." Gale shrugs innocently. "_Sí, sí, claro,_ I understand."It's not his fault he grew up on college football, blame that on his father. "I know you're having fun. That's all that matters. Rory checks for updates whenever Capitol plays."

"As he should."

"Oh, you are your father's children," she laughs.

Gale smiles too. "Pop still at work?"

"Working overtime," she nods. "_Siempre_." Always. His smile slips a little. "You can't blame yourself for that, Gale. We're happy that you're getting such a great education."

"I'm running us broke, Ma."

"That's not true," she sighs. "So Vick isn't going to get that new pair of shoes. He doesn't need them anyway." Gale sighs too, dragging his hands through his hair. "But your state aid finally processed, right?" He tips his head forward. "That's good! So you've still only got—"

"Two thousand. In the next month." He shakes his head. "I'm going to have to take out loans, Ma, you know that." Hazelle's tried her damned hardest not to let him take out loans. Grants are good because you don't have to pay anyone back. Loans collect interest and you end up in debt for the rest of your life. "It's the only way I can get through this semester."

"I know," she admits quietly. "I just don't like it. You have so much more to be worrying about than money."

"It's just how it is now," he murmurs. "Hey, I've got a paper to write. But tell Vick and Rory I said hey, alright?" Hazelle nods. "Pop too. Have him call."

"Sure, dear." Hazelle fidgets with the phone a little. "I'm proud of you, you know."

"Thanks, Ma. Love you."

"_Tambien te amo,_" she smiles. He hangs up and drops the phone to the table, dragging his hands through his hair with another deep sigh. He'll have to call the bank tomorrow.

* * *

_A/N: Hi friends. I recently lost someone very close to me, so if you could keep me and his family in your thoughts that would be nice. Unfortunately a truth of growing up and going to college is that people die, and it sucks. I hope you're all doing well, and if you ever need anyone to talk to I'm always here. x_

_Edit: Again I've added more Spanish! I like to think of the Hawthorne family one where Hazelle/her husband (Asher) speak Spanish to one another but try to use English for the kids as often as possible as well. Reasoning on that later in the story, of course!_


	4. i wanna love you but i don't know how

_you let me set sail with cheap wood_  
_so i patched up every leak that i could_

* * *

It's a bright and crisp afternoon when Peeta drags Madge out of bed to attend the football game with him and Katniss. Madge throws on her sweatshirt and pulls on a scarf having read that the wind is going to be awful, and then trudges after him and Peeta on their walk to the stadium.

Peeta hands them their tickets and then the three cross through the gate to get into the stadium. Everyone is decked out in CU's colors, boys in red body paint walk by shouting something unintelligible and Madge can't help but smile. Okay, so maybe she likes football games a little. Watching everyone rally together for their school makes her feel some sort of pride, it warms her chest and gives her spirit. Peeta even convinced Madge to put on a little eye black so they look extra involved. Katniss opted out of that one.

And as much as Madge sort-of likes football games, she refuses to go into the sections that she knows will be incredibly rowdy. CU isn't known for being strict about seating in the college sections, though the higher level seats are to be followed exactly. "Don't worry," Peeta laughs as her eyes go toward the seats at center field. "We're not going there. Delly saved us some seats."

Peeta leads them through the stadium until a screech causes them all to halt, "Peeta!"

"I found Delly," Katniss murmurs. Madge giggles as they watch Delly fling herself toward Peeta and envelop her in a hug. "They literally saw each other two days ago."

"They've been friends since they were kids," Madge shrugs.

Once Delly pulls away from Peeta she spots Katniss and Madge. "Katniss!" Delly cheers. Katniss smiles politely and waves while Madge smiles too. "So glad you guys could make it! C'mon, I saved you seats!" They reach the row Delly has reserved and Madge feels a lump in her throat at the sight of Gale animatedly talking to Thom. He turns when they arrive and his eyes meet hers before he smiles, causing her to force one back.

Madge has wanted to talk to him in person since that night, the night he went home with someone else after clearly saying he wanted to go with her, but they only time they were really alone was when he drove her home. Madge had way too much on her mind then to say anything, and it was too awkward to bring up. But it still lingers in her thoughts. _Maybe tonight_, she thinks.

Delly worms her way past the seats to sit beside Thom. Past Gale sits Bristel Clearwater and Johanna Mason who are both laughing about something and looking toward the field. Peeta follows in Delly and sits beside her, then Katniss, so Madge is stuck on the end. Madge sighs as she sinks into her seat and then Katniss elbows her with a smile.

"Lighten up," Katniss says.

"No, I know. You're right. This'll be fun." And Madge really needs some fun in her life.

"It will," Katniss agrees.

Madge readjusts in her plastic seat and leans in to tell Katniss something when a breathless boy suddenly appears on the end of the row closest to Madge. He braces himself on a seat to catch his breath and then flashes an overwhelmingly bright smile at everyone who's sitting.

"Sorry I'm late," he says.

"You should be!" Johanna shouts back. "Game starts in five!"

"_Sorry_, Jo! No parking!" He grins down at Madge who he's closest to and then lowers himself into the seat beside her. "Looks like Johanna has filled my seat," he says. "Mind if I sit here?" Madge has seen this guy around campus a few times, and also at a few parties, but never knew he was friends with Gale and co. She nods as he relaxes backwards. "Finnick," he extends his hand to her.

"Madge," she replies, accepting his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Yes. This'll be fun.

* * *

Capitol University wins the game by one touchdown in the final five minutes. The game is spent loudly cheering and Thom whistling at the cheerleaders to tease Delly and Gale casting awkward glances down at Finnick and Madge who seem to be hitting it off just _great_. Katniss and Peeta are lost in their own world and Bristel distracts herself from Thom by talking to Johanna and Gale is just unable to be distracted.

By the time it's over everyone is ready for Thom and Gale's dorm. They all pile into their cars and drive to Elkwood Hall, Gale angrily drumming his steering wheel the whole time. Bristel cocks an eyebrow at him from the passenger seat.

"You alright, Captain?"

He frowns at the old nickname. One of the very first times they were all hanging out Gale got so drunk he acted as though he was the captain of a pirate ship. She'll never let it die. "Fine." Gale lets out a deep breath, thankful that Bristel is the only one that carpooled with him. "Just – fuck Finnick Odair, man." Bristel's lips curl upwards and she shakes her head at him. "Don't look at me like that, you saw them during the game."

"No I didn't," Bristel laughs. "I was hardly paying any attention. They were literally on the other end of the row. Besides, it's not like Madge is your property. Finnick's great and you know that." Gale grits his teeth. "He also flirts with anything with legs, so don't get so worked up about it." Bristel shakes her head again. "Besides, Gale, what was your plan for the night? Get drunk so you can make out with Madge again instead of actually talking about anything?"

"We're—_no_," he growls. It wasn't his _plan_ but if it happened he wasn't going to _object_. "I just didn't expect Finn to—" Gale sighs loudly. "I don't have a plan."

"Exactly," Bristel laughs. "Use your words, kid. If you want to go out with Madge just _talk_ to her." They pull into Gale's assigned parking lot and he kills the engine, the two of them sit in silence. "It doesn't seem all that complicated."

Bristel doesn't understand. _Everything _with Madge Undersee is complicated.

* * *

By the time Gale's done checking everyone into the building who doesn't live there – security measures to keep CU safe – Thom and Delly are already upstairs setting up the game and getting out the wine. Finnick and Johanna plan to sleep on the couch tonight (which usually means they're going to drink _a lot_), Bristel will go down the hall to her own room, and Peeta is the designated driver again to take Katniss and Madge back to their dorm.

Gale pours himself a cup of wine considering that's all they have for now and makes his way to the floor of the living room, not missing the fact that Madge and Finnick are sitting beside one another. Delly passes out the cards and Gale strains himself to hear their conversation.

"No, I've always thought that was really interesting," Finnick says. "I think about that a lot, actually, how we'll never really know what's out there." Space. They're talking about space. "Light is the fastest traveling thing but if there's life out there looking at us they might still see Pangea or dinosaurs or Romans invading other countries."

"And then you get into the debate about time and space, and what if they're seeing the future," Madge says, "like a world where people fight in an arena for glory, or maybe a utopia."

"Blows my mind," Finnick says.

Gale clears his throat loudly as he pulls the first black card from the Cards Against Humanity pile. The game is simple enough. A black card is read and they usually have questions on them or fill in the blanks. Then each of the players put in a white card they feel with best fit the black card. It can either be the most appropriate answer, or the most _in_appropriate answer. Whatever makes people laugh the most is usually the winning card.

"Coming to Broadway this season," Gale reads aloud. "_Blank_: The Musical."

"Ooh!" Delly cheers. "I have the perfect card!"

* * *

A few rounds (and a couple glasses of wine) later everyone is tipsy and laughing at things that aren't even funny. Katniss has a hard time keeping herself together and Peeta watches her with adoration in his eyes. Johanna is winning by storm with her pile of cards the most inappropriate of the night and usually remotely offensive.

"Okay, okay," Katniss pulls up a black card. "What do old people smell like?" she asks, reading the card.

Finnick is laughing at something in Madge's deck and Thom is throwing cards at Bristel who is totally about to fall asleep and Gale feels like he has ants in his pants despite the fact that he's had a few glasses of wine and his nerves should definitely be settled by now.

Katniss bursts into giggles immediately after collecting everyone's cards and Peeta laughs from behind her. "Read them," he eggs her on.

"Fancy Feast," Katniss reads. "Racism. Inappropriate yodeling." Katniss laughs again, "Poor life choices. A gassy antelope. Hot—" more giggling. "Hot cheese? C'mon, guys!" Peeta whispers something into Katniss's ear and she laughs again, nudging him away with her elbow. "Stop trying to cheat!"

"Hey," Peeta grins, "all I'm saying is that my grandparents are incredibly racist."

"Fancy Feast," Katniss decides. No one claims it. "Fancy Feast?" she echoes. No?"

"Oh!" Madge turns her head. "Sorry, that's me!" She grabs the card with a grin. "You always pick the lames one, Katniss." The brunette shrugs as Madge returns to her conversation with Finnick. "I'm gonna get more wine," she tells him, forcing herself up onto her feet and grabbing her wineglass as she goes.

Gale waits a few moments for the next round to start before he grabs his own empty glass and follows Madge into the kitchenette.

Away from Finnick and the eyes of all of their friends he finally feels the wine. He no longer wants to bounce his leg insistently because he's so annoyed with Finnick Odair and he no longer wants to tear his hair out because Madge falls for his lame puns. He finds her struggling to pour a glass and chuckles, walking over and grabbing the bottle.

"You sure you need another?" he asks.

"You sure that's any of your business?" she asks back, her eyes light and her smile wide. Gale grins, sliding his hand around her waist, but she stops him. "Gale—"

"What?"

Madge shakes her head and pushes him away slightly. "I just—not tonight, okay?"

"What about not tonight?" Gale asks. "We're just standing here." Her eyes meet his and she suddenly looks so fucking upset that he drops his hand and takes a giant step away from her. "I just wanted to talk," he forces out. Madge slowly lifts an eyebrow at him. "We should talk."

"I feel like our talks hardly ever lead to anything productive," she murmurs. Her alcohol addled brain is remembering the party, his warm kisses and distracting tongue. Alcohol makes them talk, which leads to a lot of kissing.

"Agree to disagree, but I mean it. Just talk." Gale glances back into the living room where everyone is doing their own thing, the game mostly disregarded at this point. Peeta is pressing quiet kisses to Katniss's shoulders, Finnick is taking pictures of himself to send on Snapchat, and Bristel and Johanna are showing each other pictures on their phones. "No one'll notice if we're away for a bit."

Hesitantly she tips her head forward, and Gale leads the way to his bedroom. They enter quietly and shut the door softly, making sure no one is to hear them. Madge lowers herself to the edge of his bed and fiddles with the hem of her shirt as he crosses to join her.

"So what do you wanna talk about?" she asks.

"I, uh," Gale drags a hand awkwardly through his hair. "Us?"

"Us?" Madge echoes. "Since when is there an _us_?" She turns to look at Gale and his eyes, though glassy, are wide in surprise at her tone. "There might be a you and some random girl from a party, or you and whoever is willing to have sex with you, but not an _us_." She shakes her head and drops it into her hands. "Of course you want to talk about this while we're drunk," she says quietly.

"No, Undersee, c'mon don't—"

"You'd never want to talk about an _us_ while we're sober, Gale, absolutely never." She sighs loudly. "I can't believe you. You take home some random girl and then all of a sudden want to talk about _us_?" Madge lifts her head. "You always do this to me."

"What?" he blanches. "I always do _what_ do you?"

Madge groans and throws up her hands, her brain is not cooperating with her. She does want to talk to Gale about this, she _does, _but she just cannot piece her thoughts together coherently in this state of mind. "I—I just, you always—" she makes a motion with her hands and then rubs at her face. "You're a coward," she finally decides.

"I'm a coward?" Gale repeats. "I'm _trying_ to _apologize_ for fucking up!" His hands tingle and he clenches them tightly. "Fucking hell, Undersee, you were right. We shouldn't talk about this while we're drunk." She points at him as though he's finally figured out the correct thing to say. "I'm sorry, alright? I thought it was you that night. I didn't realize how fucked up I was and I woke up and—it's no fucking excuse but I swear I thought it was you." Gale shakes his head and sighs again. "I _wanted_ _it_ to be _you_," he says softly.

Gale turns his head to look at Madge and finds her with sleepy eyes. "Well it's a little late for that," she responds.

"We need to sober up," Gale decides. "We need to have this conversation." He stands and turns to her. "I'm getting us water. Okay?" The world tilts a bit once he's on his feet. "I'll be right back." Gale leaves the room and quickly makes it to the kitchenette, filling up two very large glasses of water.

When he returns to Madge he finds her on her side, curled into his bed, and very fast asleep. He sighs, gulping down one entire glass, and setting the other on his bedside table incase she's to wake up. He returns to the living room with a frown, finding that Thom and Delly have tired to Thom's bedroom and Katniss is starting to doze in Peeta's lap.

"Madge okay?" Finnick asks from the floor.

Gale scowls. "Fine. She fell asleep."

"Blondie's got the right idea," Johanna yawns. "Fuck wine. It always makes me so sleepy."

* * *

Madge wakes up in the morning very disoriented. First of all, how did she get back to her room? And second of all, what the hell happened last night? She sits up and rolls over to find Katniss and Peeta curled together still fast asleep. Her head doesn't hurt but she scrambles for her phone to check the time.

Along with _11:53 AM_ Madge finds that she has a few messages.

_**From Delly – 12:43 AM  
Did u gey bkac sfe? Staying a Thoms**_

Of course Delly is staying at Thom's. Madge rolls her eyes and quickly responds saying that they're all safe and sound. She scrolls to the next and her stomach sinks instantly.

_**From Daddy – 7:12 AM  
Going back 2 hospital. Call me when your up.**_

She glances over at Katniss and Peeta still sleeping soundly and prepares to dart out of the room to call her father. As she sits and wakes herself up she scrolls to the next message.

_**From Gale – 10:22 AM  
Found your student ID in my room. I can give it to you tomorrow or you can text me and Ill drop it of just let me know**_

Wait a second, in his _room_?

_From Madge – 11:54 AM  
I need that ID to buy food so I would prefer to have it today._

_**From Gale – 11:54 AM  
Ah the sleeping beauty wakes! Ill drop it off later**_

Madge resists the urge to roll her eyes or smile and instead focuses on calling her father. She slips into the hallway quietly and dials the number. Her father answers on the first ring.

"Madgey, sweetie?"

"Hi Daddy." Madge leans backwards against the wall and lets out a gentle sigh. "What's going on? How's Momma?"

"She's doing alright," he responds. He sounds tired. "We'll be out of here by one." Madge smiles at that but it doesn't make her feel much better. "Surprised you didn't sleep in later." Madge lets out some low groan in the back of her throat and her father chuckles softly. "I know, sweetie. Maybe you should go back to bed. I know how college is."

"I just might," she responds softly. "Momma, though?"

"She was having a lot of pain in her bones. They sedated her, are working on setting up an IV system to take home. Maybe pills. I don't even know at this point."

"Painkillers?"

"She needs them, Madge."

"I know. I just don't like it."

Her father sighs, "As long as she isn't hurting, I'll be okay." There's quiet on his end for a moment. "She's asleep now. She'll be okay."

"I know," Madge lies.

Again they fall quiet. "I saw that Capitol won the game. Did you go?"

"I did," Madge nods. She clears her throat. "Yeah, it was really close. Very intense. A lot of screaming." Her dad laughs and it makes her smile again. "I'm sure you remember what it was like." Her parents went to Capitol University for schooling, in fact it's where they met. "A lot of fun, though."

"Good," he says softly. "I'm glad. I'm so happy you're having fun. I don't want you worrying about things here." Madge sighs again, hitting her head lightly against the brick wall and taking another deep breath. "Go get some more sleep, Madge. I'll tell her that you called."

"Let her know I love her," Madge says.

"Always. Love you, Angel."

"Love you too, Daddy." He hangs up and Madge stands in the hallway for a moment to collect herself before slipping back into their room. Peeta stirs when the door opens and makes a face at her, but she waves her hand at him. "Go back to sleep," Madge whispers.

"You okay?" Peeta croaks. Madge forces a smile and climbs back into bed, nodding slightly. "Madge…"

"Mom's back in the hospital," she says quietly. "I don't want to talk about it. Go back to sleep, Peeta."

He stares at her with bleary eyes before eventually sinking back down beside Katniss with a sigh. Madge curls onto her side away from the couple and blinks back tears, willing herself to fall back asleep. She just can't.

* * *

When Gale swings around Madge's dorm he texts her and waits outside for her to run down. Madge is bundled up when she exits the building and smiles shyly at him, crossing the sidewalk to get to him with his extended hand.

"Here," he offers the card to her. "It was on my floor."

"Hm," Madge brushes prettily and accepts her ID "Thank you. I, um," she makes a face and looks away from him. "What, um, happened? Last night?" Gale pauses at her words, one of his eyebrows slowly cocking.

"You don't remember?" he asks.

"I remember some," Madge says. "You said you wanted to talk. I was really tired." Gale's lips part and she feels very small under his gaze. "Did we talk?"

"Not really. You fell asleep."

"Oh." Madge gnaws on her bottom lip, shrugging her shoulders lightly. "Do you still want to talk?"

Gale thinks about this for a moment before tipping his head to the side. "No. Wasn't anything important." Her eyes eventually lift back to his and she looks incredibly upset, but Gale shoves down the guilt. It _was_ something important, but last night after Madge fell asleep Gale realized that he really needs to work on their friendship before they can have any sort of conversation about their _relationship_, if that exists at all.

No more drunk hookups, or just a sole drunk friendship. A_ real_ friendship.

"Oh," Madge finally says. She dips her head and nods, forcing a polite smile. "Okay." She takes a step backwards, looking up toward her building. "Are you sure you don't want to talk?" she tries again.

"I'm sure," he nods. Madge smiles again and takes another step backwards. "See you around."

"Yeah," she exhales tiredly. "See you." She waves her ID. "Thanks again."

Madge spins around quickly and takes a few deep breaths, hoping her cheeks aren't flushed and she doesn't look as sick as she feels. She has never felt so utterly ridiculous. Of course Gale probably didn't even want to talk to her last night, probably just wanted to make out again. Because that's all she's good for around him, clearly. She enters the building and marches straight for the elevator to take her back to her floor, closing it before anyone else can get on with her.

A few more deep breaths later she feels her phone buzzing in her pocket.

_**From Unknown Number – 2:31 PM  
Hey it's Finnick. Bristel gave me your number. Hope that's alright? It was great talking to you last night. Wondering if you wanted to catch lunch sometime. Let me know.**_

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry it's a little late! Hope you're all having a nice week. Remember to tell the people who you love that you love them. Once a day, twice a day, fifteen times a day, just tell them. I love you all. **_


	5. that's how you get the girl

_broke your heart, i'll put it back together  
i would wait for ever and ever_

* * *

If Gale was a list maker he definitely would've started making bullet points on how to properly begin a friendship with Madge Undersee.

-Ask to study together sometime

-Grab lunch after their one o'clock class every Monday

-Hang out when Katniss and Peeta aren't around

-Ask for book recommendations (and pretend to read them)

-Ask for movie recommendations (and _actually_ watch them)

-Text her just to ask how her day is

-Bring her back a snow cone from his stand before they close

The list would go on if Gale was a list maker. But he's not. Mental lists made up the showers do not count, because though he swears he's actually going to do these things he forgets most of them the second he starts toweling his body dry.

It's a warm afternoon in late September when Gale makes his way to work. Most days when he's done class he goes straight to the snow cone stand considering they're closing earlier and earlier as the days go on and he needs to get in his hours. He works the stand solo on week days and is allowed to bring his books to get some homework done. It's much more productive than sitting in the living room while Thom plays some game on Xbox and shouts at the TV, much more peaceful. Next weekend will be the last of the stand being open.

He's an hour and a half into his shift when a familiar car pulls into the lot with a passenger he can't see from here. Finnick Odair flings himself out of the driver's side and makes his way to the stand, a grin on his face. "Gale!" he cheers.

"Hey, Finn," Gale says back. There's still a sort of resentment underneath his skin from the other night, but Gale keeps reminding himself if he's going to get anywhere with Madge he has to push feelings like that away. She doesn't seem the kind that will take kindly to jealousy and bitterness. Besides, Bristel was right, Finnick's not a bad guy. "The usual?"

"Yeah," he nods. "And can I get a medium strawberry one too?" Gale cocks an eyebrow, wondering why something feels wrong in his stomach, and makes the two snow cones. It's not like Finnick comes here by himself all the time, he usually brings someone else with him. But strawberry… "Ah, there you are," Gale hears Finnick say. He glances over his shoulder and nearly drops the cup he just filled with ice when he sees Madge by his side.

"Sorry," she frowns, shoving her phone back into her purse. "It was my dad."

"No I get it," Finnick says back. "I know how parents are. Mine call me every day too." She nods slightly, knowing Finnick doesn't yet understand why it is Madge's parents call so often. She finally looks up and makes eye contact with Gale, her lips parting.

"Gale?" She fumbles for words. Katniss might've mentioned something about Gale working at a snow cone stand but that was practically eons ago. "I, uh—I didn't know that you, you work here?" Gale clenches his teeth and tips his head before getting back to work. Madge glances at Finnick and then down to her hands. "I'm, um, going to find a seat."

Not noticing the awkwardness, Finnick grins. "Sounds good."

There are a few picnic tables off to the side of the stand that Madge walks over to, but none of them have anyone sitting at them. It's getting a little cold for snow cones, and no one likes to make the short trip on weekdays. She tries to pick the one that's so far off to the side Gale can't look over and see them from where he's at in his stand but they're all pretty much in plain sight. Finnick gets the snow cones and thanks Gale before striding over to Madge and passing her the strawberry one.

She picks at the top of the ice before shoving a bite into her mouth, wondering why she feels so guilty. It's not like she's on a _date_ with Finnick, and even if she was she shouldn't feel bad about Gale being a few steps away. She gave him the option to talk _when they were both sober_ and he promptly shot her down and has yet to speak with her at all. That isn't her fault. Maybe it's not guilt she's feeling at all, actually, just a longing for what could've been.

"So what were you saying about Annie?" Madge asks. "Before my dad called?"

Finnick grins, his eyes lighting up at the mention of Annie's name. "Just that I'm flying home to see her soon." Finnick takes a bite from his snow cone and sighs loudly, but a smile is bright on his face. It makes her smile, too. "You would love her, Madge. She'd love you too. I wish you could meet her. She's always going on about something… something abstract. It's great."

Before they had gotten here Finnick told her all about Annie. They spoke of her that night at Gale's as well and Finnick adored Annie so much it made Madge feel warm inside. They went to high school together, living at home. She goes to a community college down south near the ocean because her family doesn't have the money to send her to a nicer school, but Madge has always admired those who start out at community college before transferring.

Apparently Annie is quiet and reserved, very unlike the loud and proud Finnick Odair who's sitting across from her.

"The more you talk about her the less I feel you two would go well together," Madge admits with a laugh, receiving a chuckle from him as well. Since meeting Finnick Madge has realized that he likes to be abstract as well, but she feels it's something he received from Annie. "How'd you two end up together?"

Finnick thinks for a moment before shrugging. "She… crept up on me." He was in his senior year of high school, Annie a grade below, and everyone thought she was absolutely bat shit crazy. She had been in and out of a nearby mental institution a numerous amount of times for a variety of reasons that Finnick doesn't feel it right to share, considering it's Annie's story and not his. It was chance that had Finnick tutoring her in history. She struggled with facts but in the end he helped her through it. "I couldn't get her out of my head," he admits. "The way she said my name…" he sighs again and Madge smiles broadly. "Sorry," Finnick laughs, shaking his head.

"No, it's okay," Madge laughs too. "It's really sweet."

"Mm," Finnick takes another bite. With a mouthful of snow cone he asks, "Do you have an Annie? I've been so wrapped up that I haven't thought to ask."

Madge's eye flicker toward the booth where Gale is and she shakes her head. "No, I don't."

* * *

Madge is just about to begin a new series on Netflix when her phone vibrates on her desk and makes her jump. She reaches for it, cocks an eyebrow at the name, and then answers.

"Hello?"

"Hey," it's Gale. Why is it Gale? And since she knew it was Gale, why did she _answer? _"Listen, you're good at English, right?" Madge readjusts the phone near her ear and waits for him to continue. "Because I've got a paper due and if I don't get a good grade on it I'm totally going to fail this class and I really need your help." Madge lets out a short breath and hears Gale sigh too. He hasn't spoken to her in almost a week and this is the first thing he says when he does? It's not unlike him, she supposes. "Please? I'll literally do anything if you help me with this."

She wrinkles her nose. And of course he won't talk to her about drunk hookups but he'll talk to her about class. "I'm kind of busy," she lies.

Gale sighs loudly on the other end. "I know I shouldn't have waited this long to work on this paper but I'm desperate."

"I'm not going to write a paper for you, Gale," Madge grumbles. Why else would he call her? Clearly he has no other reason to have a conversation with her than getting something out of it.

"That's not—that's not what I want." He drags his hands through his hair and curses. After seeing Finnick with Madge yesterday he knew he needed to step up in some way, but clearly this was the wrong path.

"And I'm not just going to be that person you can go to when you need help."

"I know that." Fuck, this was a mistake. "I know that. I'm—I'll see if Bristel's free." Madge groans to herself and lifts her free hand to rub the bridge of her nose. "Sorry for bothering you."

Before he can say goodbye Madge caves. The hopelessness in his voice was too much for her, and her soul is much too sweet. "Wait," she sighs. Gale freezes on the other side, scared if he shifts the wrong way he'll accidentally hang up. "Fine. I'll help you." Gale lets out a short breath, almost a laugh, and his mouth curves into a smile. "You at least have a rough draft, right?"

"Yeah, yes," Gale does a quick fist pump to himself in victory. "Of course I do." He leaps to his feet to grab his laptop and books to throw into his laptop. "Can I come over now?"

"Sure," she murmurs, still rubbing the bridge of her nose. "But you have to bring me french-fries. I'm starving. Okay? Or I'm not helping you."

"Isn't that sort of like me paying you for writing a paper?" he teases. "Kidding," Gale adds immediately before she can answer. "That was a joke. French-fries it is."

* * *

He arrives a bit later, texting her that she should come sign him in, and is waiting with a carton of fries from a food joint on campus. He has a sideways grin that makes Madge's heart flutter in her ribcage. "I owe you one, Undersee," he says. "You're the absolute greatest."

"Well, you're not wrong," she smiles. He tells her the premise of the paper as they ride the elevator up, something about a book review and how he's just really crappy at organization and isn't able to think it all straight through. "That doesn't sound too bad," Madge says, leading him into her room. "I read _The Crucible_ in high school, I remember a little bit. That'll help."

"Definitely," he agrees. Gale looks toward Katniss's side of the room as they enter. "She not here?"

"No, it's Tuesday." Gale shuts the door and cocks an eyebrow at her. "It's her and Peeta's date night," Madge says. Gale rolls his eyes so far back into his head that he can probably see his thick skull, which causes Madge to laugh. "Grab her chair."

Gale pulls Katniss's chair up to Madge's desk and they get to work. Gale fiddles with his phone as Madge reads through his essay and makes comments and corrections with a red pen. "I didn't pull you from anything," he wonders, "did I? You said you were busy."

"It's fine," Madge shakes her head.

Gale cocks an eyebrow at her, "You weren't busy, were you?" Madge presses her lips together and keeps her eyes on the paper she's editing. "Aw, c'mon, Undersee. You were gonna let me fail?" he teases.

"100% yes I was," Madge nods, scribbling something out. "But you sounded desperate." Her eyes flicker over to him for a second and he smiles before redirecting his gaze to his phone. "You're not going to argue?"

"I was desperate," Gale agrees. Not only for this stupid God awful paper but also for a chance to start fresh with her. "Nothing to argue." He leans back in his chair and his eyes return to her. Madge has strands of hair blocking her face but she works diligently, hunched over the desk as she reads. "What would you've done if you weren't saving my grade?" he asks.

"I'm trying to edit, here," Madge murmurs. He holds up his hands as a mock apology and she blows her hair out of her face. "_Lost_, probably."

"What, the show?"

"Yeah." Madge's phone buzzes on the desk but she doesn't tear her eyes from Gale's work. "Can you check that?"

Gale grabs the phone and a scowl takes hold of his face. "It's a Snapchat from Finnick," he mutters. Madge rolls her eyes but smiles slightly, and Gale feels his chest compressing.

"It can wait," she says. Gale slowly lowers the phone back to the desk, his eyes creeping over to where Madge is working hard.

Gale Hawthorne – 1. Finnick Odair – 0.

Unless Gale counts the snow cones.

He decides not to count the snow cones.

Finally Madge returns the paper to him and easily explains how to lay everything out. Thesis, three body paragraphs in order of the thesis, conclusion, etc. She gives him a few examples from the text he can include but tells him that he has to find the rest. It's a simple but solid explanation and Gale takes it to heart, pulling out his laptop and using all of the notes Madge made to edit his work. They make easy conversation as he works and he asks for help every now and then, allowing Madge to lean into him and fix things now and then. Every now and then he'll get a whiff of her shampoo and temporarily zone out on whatever it is she's talking about.

After about an hour, when all of the fries are gone and Finnick's Snapchat is completely forgotten and Gale's rough draft has an infinite amount of scribbles on it, he decides his paper is complete.

"I still suggest taking it to a professional," Madge says, gnawing on her bottom lip. They've been working hard but it could always be better. "The writing center definitely has more skilled people that can look over it than me."

"I trust you," he says. "Besides, the paper's due tomorrow. Not enough time to go to the writing center."

Her cheeks turn pink at his almost-compliment as she looks away, "If you get a bad grade I'm going to blame myself."

"I won't get a bad grade, then," Gale smiles. He looks toward her laptop which is on her bed. "My brain's going to explode if I do anymore work."

"A break, then?"

"I've never seen _Lost_ either," he tells her. "We could… watch the first episode?"

He and Mage crawl into her bed with their backs against the wall as she props open her laptop and goes to Netflix, pulling up the show. They're sitting very close, their legs pressed against one another, sharing warmth. He doesn't try to make any moves on her, his hands stay in his lap, though he could easily slide his arm around her waist or shoulder. The lighting in the room is low with the laptop the only thing illuminating both of their faces.

Every now and then Gale will ask a question about what's going on and Madge will have to remind him that she's never seen the show _either_.

They're still pretty close when Katniss returns from her date. She flicks on the light and cocks an eyebrow. Instead of greeting them she murmurs, "Interesting," and grabs her chair back from Madge's desk so she can hang her jacket on the back.

"Shh, Catnip," Gale frowns and squints into the light. "There're still like, five minutes left."

Katniss holds up her hands in defeat and grabs her laptop from her desk before retreating into the common room to give them some space. Finally the episode closes and Madge wants to watch the next, but after checking the time and realizing how late it is she closes the website.

"So…" Gale starts, slowly pulling away from her side. "Thanks. For your help tonight."

"It was no problem," Madge responds. She gnaws on her bottom lip again before adding, "It was fun. Just hanging out you and me."

Gale grins, sliding from her bed. "It was. But I don't think doing homework counts as hanging out." Gale starts gathering all of his things into his bag. "I guess I'll just have to forget my homework next time."

Madge laughs. Gale looks over his shoulder at her with a grin. "Good luck," she adds. "On your paper."

"Mm. I'm not worried." He starts for the door but pauses. "Don't watch that next episode without me." Her jaw drops a little and Gale laughs, a short little burst that makes Madge's heart expand. "I want to know what happens!"

"Then I'll give you my Netflix password and we can watch on our own time!"

"That's no fun," Gale says. Effectively ending the argument he dips his head and says, "Night, Undersee."

"Goodnight," she smiles. A few minutes after Gale is gone, definitely having time to catch the elevator, Katniss returns to the room with her eyebrows high on her forehead. "He needed help with a paper," Madge says.

"Yes, because it definitely looked like you two were writing a paper," Katniss shoots back.

"We were taking a break." Madge decides to change the subject. "How was your date?"

"How was _yours_?" she asks.

"Katniss!" Madge's ears are burning and Katniss's gaze is cold. "It was not a date." Katniss shrugs and finally turns away, sitting down at her desk to get some work done. It isn't mentioned after that.

* * *

"I mean, it _might've_ constituted as a date," Peeta says, his voice high. They're sitting in the food court eating Chick-fil-A, watching people moving in and out of the room. Madge groans and drops her head into her hands. "Why couldn't it have been a date?"

"Because if it was a date it was really shitty," Madge grumbles. "And it _wasn't_. He just needed my help. Even _you_ come to me with help on your papers. It's not that big of a deal."

Peeta shrugs. "I guess. It just seemed uncharacteristic of him to go to you. Katniss said that when they dated he always used homework as an excuse to come over." Madge's eyebrows shoot to her forehead, she sits up so quickly she knocks her tray from the table. "What the heck, Madge," Peeta laughs, reaching down to help her collect her spilled fries. Not that she'll eat them now, but it's rude to leave them on the ground.

"Sorry," she blurts, also trying to pick up her mess. "Sorry, but, _what_?"

"What, what?"

"Since when did Katniss and Gale _date_?"

"High school?" Peeta shrugs. "Didn't you know that?" Madge extends her hands to the fries and the mess as if to say _obviously not you idiot _and Peeta stutters for a response. "Right. Clearly of course you didn't know that." He scratches his forehead and lifts her tray back to the table. "Katniss never told you?"

"No! I just thought they were really good friends!"

"Well they are," Peeta says. There's an underlying annoyance to his admission, Peeta knowing that he'll never be able to compete with Gale when it comes to a friendship like that. "But they dated for like, three months or something. You could probably find it on Facebook if you looked hard enough." Madge sighs loudly and overdramatically, looking at her dirty french-fries with a knot in her stomach. "What's the big deal, Madge?"

"If they dated then I can't date him," she says. "That makes me a shitty friend." Madge pauses before quickly adding, "Not that I _want_ to date him!"

Peeta extends his hands like Madge had a few seconds earlier, "Wha—what?" He rolls his eyes as Madge sulks, taking a sip from her water to avoid this conversation. "Okay, first of all you probably definitely _do _want to date him, and that doesn't make you a shitty friend whatsoever." Madge can't believe she basically just admitted that she may possibly at least a little has thought about dating Gale. "They ended things on good terms and they're still friends now so it's not like she's bitter about things over with him. Also, newsflash," he points to himself, "she's sort of moved on. To me. Sitting right in front of you. Eight months strong, you know."

"I know, I know, I know," Madge sighs. "I know you are. I know she has. It just, it feels wrong, I don't know. I'd feel weird if I dated you and then we broke up and then Katniss is dating you."

Peeta frowns, "That's a stupid way to look at things. We never dated."

"That, ugh," she drags her hands through her hair. "That isn't the point I'm trying to make, Peeta."

"And honestly?" Peeta shakes his head in disbelief. "You think Katniss is someone to get upset about that? Christ, Madge, that's the least Katniss-like thing ever." But to be truthful, even just hanging out with Gale sometimes feels like Madge is crossing into dangerous territory. Gale and Katniss are the type of friends that know what the other is going to say before it's said, that can speak through sighs and facial expressions. Could she really get in the way of that?

Now she's just being selfish, thinking if she and Gale were to get together that she would ruin his and Katniss's relationship.

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway," Madge finally says, her eyes on Peeta's chest rather than meeting his gaze. "Because we'll never—it'll never come to that."

Peeta rolls his eyes again before he laughs, "Whatever, Madge." He picks up a dirtied fry from her tray and tosses it at her. She dodges it with a frown. "Whatever you say."

* * *

Gale has never been more relieved in his entire life. By some act of God his state aid finally processed, and the grants from back home finally went through. His dorm room is paid off for the year and he doesn't have to worry about being evicted to the 12th street dorms. He gets to enjoy his queen sized bed and early morning coffee and the life of luxury for at least another year.

"Tuition," Thom reminds him. "You've still got to pay that off, too, you know."

"Don't pull me down when I'm just getting up," Gale murmurs. He's lying down on the couch staring at the ceiling. His mother is still adamant about not letting him take out any loans. "I could work at the library?"

"No," Thom shakes his head. "Child care center?"

"Nuh-uh," Gale shakes his head. He's had enough kids for the moment, growing up with three younger siblings. He doesn't want to be surrounded by kids until he's ready to have them, and at the moment he is _definitely not_ ready to have children. "University store?"

"Shitty hours." Thom scratches his chin. "One of the food joints?"

"Not likely." Gale sighs loudly. "Maybe something off campus?"

"It would have to be within walking distance or you'd have to deduct money for gas." Gale sighs again. "Tutoring…?" Gale tilts his head to look at his friend and the second their eyes meet they both burst into laughter. "Okay, okay," tears of mirth are in the corners of Thom's eyes, he wipes them with the back of his hands. "Seriously, though. There's got to be something you can do."

"Hey," Gale grins. "If I wanted to tutor I could totally do it. I just don't think they pay for that."

"Mm, good point." Thom sits up right after another moment of silence. "You can answer phones, can't you?" Gale gives him a look that gets Thom to smile. "Okay, yes. I know you can answer phones. Work for the university, Gale! Office of student conduct or housing and residence life. Angry parents call in and you just calm them down. They pay you for that!"

Gale makes a face. "And they're hiring?"

"Who knows? Probably!" Gale sits up too. "Look into it, yeah? They make a lot of money, I had a friend that did that before she graduated."

Eventually he's nodding his head. "Yeah, I will. That doesn't sound so bad. Thanks, Thom."

"Hey, what are friends for?"

* * *

Madge stares at the papers down in front of her as her advisor drones on about the number of credits she has from the courses she's been taking. "You have to choose a major by the end of spring semester, Madge," Dr. Plutarch's saying. "You can't stay _undecided_ forever."

She gnaws down on her bottom lip and nods. "I know. I just, I don't know, you know?" The man cocks an eyebrow at her and she sighs. "Sorry. It's just, it's hard."

"Well the variety of classes you've taken has left a broad path," he tells her, laying out her previous classes from last year. "And you've made it clear that you want to work with other people. So honestly, you have many options from just a few."

"Okay," Madge starts slowly. "So do I have a lot of options or not a lot of options?"

Plutarch chuckles, "Here. Let me make a list." He turns to his computer and types in a few things, occasionally looking back at Madge's schedule and adding something else. She waits in the silence and carelessly glances around the office while listening to the clicking of his keys. Soon enough there's the sound of a printer and Madge turns to look at him as he hands her a piece of paper. "These majors are what I think you would succeed best in. Of course they're all wonderful pathways and whichever you choose, even if it's not on this list, you'll do great at."

Madge glances at the list and nods, her eyes darting over the many words. "Thank you," she says.

"Now you've just got to pick one," he tells her.

If only it was that simple.

* * *

_A/N: Shown above - Gale trying to be a better human. Also the fact that you all thought I would put Finnick and Madge together - ha! Gadge otp forever tbh. Gale doesn't need to know that yet though... Love you all, hope you're doing well!_


	6. that's not the way that friends behave

_it shouldn't come as a surprise  
what i'm feeling, what i'm feeling now_

* * *

While waiting for some time to pass on a Monday night Madge notices Gale down the hall pacing back and forth. The odds of her seeing him in one of the many academic buildings randomly are slim considering so many people go to CU and there are quite a few different buildings, but she doesn't pretend he's not there. Instead she gathers her bag from the seat next to her she's placed it in and walks down the hall.

"Gale?" she calls. She pulls one of her earbuds out, she's been listening to The Slag Heap's new EP that just came out on repeat for the past few days. He stops pacing and turns to face her, his face breaking into an uncharacteristic grin when he sees her. Gale's eyes light up in a way that causes her to forget what she was going to say to him and the music in her other earbud to fade. "Hi," she forces out.

"Hey," he laughs. "What're you doing here?" He looks down the hall. "I didn't know you had class this late."

"I don't," she shakes her head. "Waiting for someone to get out. We're getting dinner." Gale nods and Madge's eyes trail up and down his body. "Why're you dressed up?" she asks. He's wearing a pressed white shirt and a tie with some black slacks. His sleeves are rolled up to his forearms and he looks disgustingly attractive. "Hot date?"

"With a potential boss," Gale laughs again. He motions to a nearby seat and Madge moves, he takes the spot beside her. She has to switch her earphones so he's closer to the available ear. "I've got an interview in a few minutes," he says, checking his watch. He doesn't think he's ever been this nervous. He needs this job so _badly_. Especially now that he's not working at the snow cone stand with it closing for the season. "Just… antsy."

"You'll be great," Madge smiles. With her smile he feels his stomach settling. "Just be yourself. And honest. Interviewers can tell when people are faking answers to get a job." She checks her phone. "He shouldn't be out for another few minutes. Do you want to practice interview questions?"

Gale's on cloud nine over the fact that Madge wants to help him with his interview he barely hears that she said _he_. "Do _you_ have a date?" he asks. "I don't want you to—"

"No, no absolutely not," Madge laughs, shaking her head. "It's just Finnick." The elation begins to drain from Gale's system and the nerves for his interview return, and annoyance at Finnick Odair all over again.

"Sounds like a date to me," Gale says, frowning. He eases backwards in the seat as Madge scoffs.

"Well it isn't. I'm sure he's very content with his girlfriend that he doesn't need to be taking me out as well." Gale tilts his head. Since when does Finnick have a girlfriend? "In fact, if you wanted to join us when you're interview is over I'm sure he'd love that. I would, too." Gale's eyes meet hers and again he feel his nerves dissipating. "You could let me know how the interview went."

His mouth curves upwards and he finds himself nodding. "Sure, yeah. Maybe. Depends on when I get out." After a moment he adds, "Or if I'm in a good mood."

Her smile returns. "You'll be great," she says again.

Gale takes a deep breath, taking in all of her good vibes and locking them away to fight off his nerves. Before he can thank her for being so supportive a woman steps from a nearby room. "Gale Hawthorne?" she asks. "Alma will see you now."

Gale stands and nods, ready to approach the woman, but stop before he enters the room. "Thanks, Undersee."

"Good luck," Madge says gently. "Let me know."

He walks into his interview feeling incredibly confident.

* * *

"I'm not going to see that movie," Peeta says from Katniss's bed. It's Friday night and he's hiding under her blankets and refuses to come out. "You can't make me!"

Katniss is trying to pull her comforter off of him but is laughing too hard to make any progress. "You're being ridiculous!" she yells. He holds onto the blankets tighter so she can't pry them up and force him out. "I read the reviews, it's not that scary!" There's a movie that just premiered last week tilted _Myrtle_ and it's about this creepy looking sea witch drowning sailors and Peeta absolutely refuses to see it. "You don't even go boating!"

"I could one day!" he yells back. "And she would _drown me_!" Madge is sitting on her own bed Snapchatting the entire thing and giggling as quietly as she can. Katniss groans, giving up and falling backwards onto her bed. Peeta peeks out through the covers and she shakes her head at him. "Can't we see that Claymation movie instead? Those are cool."

"No, Peeta," Katniss frowns. "We are not going to see a _Claymation movie_."

He looks toward Madge, "You like Claymation, don't you?"

Madge laughs again, "What the hell is Claymation, Peeta?"

"Animated clay. It's when those people move the clay sets around and it's animated together and it's like all of the photos make a video. It takes them like years to make!" He turns back to Katniss and sticks out his bottom lip. "_Please_." Katniss shakes her head again. "You're the worst. You can't make me go if Madge isn't going."

Madge scoffs, "Since when am I part of this?" Katniss makes a face at her that says _please come I'll even pay for your ticket_. "I'll go," Madge says. Peeta makes a face as well that says something like _you traitor how could you ever agree to this I know that you hate scary movies just as much as I do_. "You made me go to that football game," Madge says, pointing a finger at Peeta.

He flings the blanket from him, "You had fun at that! I'm going to have to sleep with the light of on _weeks_ after this!" Madge can't help but laugh as Peeta groans, sliding from the bed. "Fine. But I'm not paying for popcorn."

The three of them get ready for the movie, Madge mentally preparing herself because much like Peeta she isn't a fan of scary movies, and head downstairs. As they start for the parking garage to get to Peeta's car a figure jumps from out of the shadows.

"Boo!" he calls. Madge jumps and grabs Peeta's arm as Gale emerges with a wicked grin. "Aw, c'mon Undersee we haven't even seen the movie yet."

"Jesus Christ, Gale," she marches over and swats his arm, his grin widening. "What are you doing here?"

"Bread boy invited me," he says, tilting his head at Peeta who has the most wicked glint in his eye. Madge shoots Peeta a look and he shrugs innocently. In Peeta's car Gale clambers into the back, complaining about the stupid compact piece of metal that Peeta drives and wishing he could stretch his legs out. The second Katniss suggests Gale take the front because there's more room he retracts his statement, "I'll be fine back here."

He turns his body so his legs are partially in Madge's room but she doesn't mind so much. "So how'd your interview go the other day?" Madge asks as Peeta turns on the radio for the front. "You never told me."

"They only just called back this afternoon," Gale says. "Got the job."

"That's great, Gale!" Madge smiles.

"You're telling me. I have training basically all day tomorrow and then I start Monday."

They fall silent and Madge's phone vibrates in her pocket.

_**From Peeta – 8:36 PM  
i can play dirty too **_

She shoots him an angry look and quickly replies before Gale can look at her bright screen.

_From Madge – 8:36 PM  
You're evil and I hate you and you should really not be texting and driving. _

Peeta's phone lights up and he reaches for it but Madge shouts out, "Peeta! Don't you _dare_ text and drive!" Katniss whips her head around and snatches the phone quickly with a frown, shoving it under her butt.

"Do you think that will really prevent me from reaching it?" Peeta asks with a laugh while Gale pretends to gag.

"Fine," Katniss grabs it and tosses it back at Madge. "Hold it until we get to the theater," she instructs. Madge nods affirmatively and starts taking selfies all while Peeta protests from the front seat.

"Hey, this way," Gale laughs. Madge turns the phone and begins taking photos of him as well, and then moves so she's taking selfies of both of them.

"Guys!" Peeta groans as Katniss urges him to pay attention to the road. "Why did you give her my phone?" he whines. Katniss pokes Peeta's side and he fidgets, redirecting his eyes to the road and gripping the steering wheel with both of his hands. After a few more photos Peeta says, "You're just arming me with blackmail, you know."

"I look good in every photo ever taken of me," Madge says triumphantly, "so you're absolutely wrong."

Gale laughs as they open the photo album and thumb through the pictures. "I don't know, Undersee," Gale points to of the pictures, "your hair looks a little…" she glares at him and he grins again. "Kidding."

* * *

When they reach the theater Peeta takes his phone back immediately. He whispers, "I'll text you those later."

"Peeta," she frowns. Gale and Katniss walk in stride a few steps ahead of them, both excited for the movie. "Why did you invite him?" she whispers angrily. He shrugs, that wicked look has returned to his eyes. "This isn't a game, Peeta."

"I know," he says with a soft smile. "But you hate scary movies and I need Katniss to myself so I figured you should have someone too." Her frown deepens. "No, don't you dare look at me like that. We wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you."

"Aw, you know Katniss has been wanting to see this for months."

"And I've wanted to see that Claymation movie for months but _noooo_." Madge rubs at her face as he laughs a little. "Lighten up, Madge. It's just a movie."

* * *

She ends up sitting next to him because of course. Madge is smack dab between Gale and Peeta and when the lights dim she shifts uncomfortably. "Scared?" Gale asks quietly. The theater is mostly empty save for the four of them and a few more randoms scattered about. "I heard it wasn't so bad."

"She only kills men," Madge responds softly, referring to the main character. "I think I'm in the clear."

"I feel like there's a sexism joke in there you're dying to make happen," Gale chuckles and turns his head toward the screen as the previews begin. "October's tomorrow," Gale says, his voice still low. "You watching the 13 Nights of Halloween on ABC Family?" Madge gives him a funny look and he laughs again. "What?"

"How often do you watch ABC Family?"

He shrugs. "Parents raised me on it. Christmas season is better than Halloween but I'll take a scary movie when I can get one. Or well, a family-appropriate scary movie." She drums her fingers on the armrest between them. "Not a fan, I guess?"

"No, I love ABC Family, they play Harry Potter all the time."

"Of scary movies, you dweeb," Gale murmurs. Her eyebrows lift. _Dweeb? _"They're fun."

"They're not fun, they're scary. That's why they're called _scary movies_."

"Shhh," Katniss hisses from down the row. The previews for other movies have stopped and the film is beginning.

"Yeah," Peeta whispers. "Stop flirting and watch the movie." Madge elbows him so hard he makes the _oof_ noise, and Katniss hisses again from her seat.

Madge gives Gale a look and they both stop talking as the movie begins. Madge tries to pay attention but more than once she zones out, focusing on the smell of Gale's cologne (or maybe he just naturally smells like pine?) and distancing herself from the movie. Finally the real action begins as Myrtle begins killing people who are boating and Peeta is quietly shrieking under his breath next to Madge, but she's still yet to really feel scared.

And then of course it's the jumpy things that scare her. The scene is dark and Myrtle's ugly face pops up and Madge jumps out of her skin, her hand flying over to Gale as though he's going to protect her from this fake sea witch. He leaps too but only in surprise of her attacking him, and then he laughs as she utters her quiet apology.

"Here," he says, extending his hand to her over the armrest. "If you need it."

"I'm okay," she whispers. "But thanks."

He keeps his hand there as she folds her own in her lap. And of course, another twenty minutes later when she jumps, he's there to hold her hand. She squeezes his fingertips and he squeezes back, smiling without turning to look at her. His thumb grazes her knuckles, a feeling that Madge knows deep in her mind that this is much too intimate for friends, but hardly pays any mind to it as Myrtle starts bludgeoning a yacht full of college kids.

Her hands are warm, and in this moment more than any other Gale realizes how serious he is about pursuing her. He wants this. He wants to do this right.

He tries to focus on the rest of the movie but every time Madge jumps she squeezes his hand a little tighter. Gale sets his jaw and takes a deep breath, willing his eyes to stay on the screen. It doesn't work very well. Thankfully Madge doesn't seem to notice how he's tensed up, too invested in the film to direct her attention to him.

And in the end, when Myrtle the psycho sea witch is (seemingly) destroyed by the hero of the movie, Madge finally pulls her hand away. The lights rise and she looks at Gale. Her cheeks are a soft pink but she doesn't look ashamed.

"Thanks," she says softly.

He shrugs, "Don't worry about it."

* * *

They're mostly silent on the car ride back, Peeta having put on some happy pop music while he mutters under his breath about stupid sea witches and their stupid faces.

Gale knocks his knee against Madge's. "I bet you're not taking daddy's boat out for a while after that, hm?" And things had been going so well for him.

Madge's eyes find his before her face falls. She sighs loudly and looks away from Gale, out the window. "We don't have a boat," she says simply.

"Since when?" Gale laughs. "You all went out last March or something. Didn't you?"

"Gale," Katniss warns tiredly.

"We sold it," Madge answers. "To help pay for treatment."

"Treatment?" he echoes. "What do you—" it hits him hard when he remembers Madge's mom is sick. "Shit. I didn't—" Madge holds up her hand to cut him off and stares out the window. "Madge," he tries, his voice full of sincerity, but she just shakes her head again.

No one talks the rest of the ride home, but the music doesn't do much to make up for it.

* * *

He pulls her aside the second they climb out of the car. "I'm sorry," he says. He grabs her hands and tries to get her to look him in the eye – that way she knows he means it. "I wasn't thinking and I was trying to be funny consider we just saw a horror film." Madge scoffs, pulling her hands away and crossing her arms over her chest. She shivers as the wind blows. "Madge," he starts again. "It's not like we've ever talked about your mom. Katniss told me once a few months ago. I'm _sorry_."

"I just," Madge sighs loudly, her eyes finally returning to his. "It's not the fact that my mom… I just thought we were past that, Gale. I didn't think you still saw me that way."

As a privileged brat. As a rich little girl who liked to spend her daddy's clearly infinite amount of money.

"We are," he tries. "I _don't_ see you that way!"

"Apparently you do! Gale," Madge shakes her head. "I don't know what I have to do to get it through your head that I'm not this spoiled little girl you think I am. Sure, my dad has money, but it's not like I play badminton on weekends and go sailing or play polo." She looks at him with tired eyes. "And since my mom got sick we've barely been leaving the _house_."

"I wasn't thinking," he says again.

"Clearly."

"Fuck," he groans, taking a step backwards before returning. "I'm _sorry_. I swear I don't see you that way anymore. I know you're not like that."

He struggled with it last year, knowing that Madge had money and he was poorer than dirt. It was difficult that she could go shopping whenever she liked and he couldn't even get something to eat at Subway because he couldn't spare the cash. The only reason he even went to the movies tonight was because of the student discount dropping the price and since he just got the job at the housing and residence life office he thought he deserved a little splurge. But now that he knows Madge for who she is, knows that she really _isn't _dropping hundreds whenever she goes out, he doesn't look at her like that anymore.

"Just," she shakes her head another time. "Just, forget it."

"I'm sorry," he says again. "I—I don't think things through. But you've gotta know that I'm sorry."

"I believe you," she dips her head. Madge glances back at where Peeta and Katniss are awkwardly waiting for them. "It's just not _okay_." Gale nods in agreement, his stomach heavy. Of course he would fuck it up with a stupid comment he didn't even mean. "I've spent too much of my life being belittled by people like you because they think I'm not a hard worker since my dad has a well-paying job or that I was raised with a silver spoon in my mouth. I'm not putting up with it anymore." She takes a few steps backwards. "I'm going to sleep. Cya around, Gale."

"Night," he forces out.

Gale watches until she joins Katniss and Peeta, and then slowly makes his way back to his dorm to rethink his strategy.

* * *

Madge wakes up around noon because Peeta forgets his volume is on and accidentally plays a Vine so loudly that it startles her awake. He's all apologies but she doesn't mind, knowing that she had to wake up sooner or later. She gets ready while Katniss and Peeta lounge around discussing what they want to do for the day and where they want to go.

"You wanna come, Madge?" Peeta asks.

"I am so tired of being the third wheel," Madge says as she lights a candle atop her dresser. Technically candles aren't allowed in dorms but no one has to know she has one. She likes when the room smells like cookies. "Besides," she adds with a smile, "I've got stuff to do. But thanks for asking."

"The third wheel is necessary to ride a tricycle," Peeta tells her with a high voice.

She laughs, "Too bad you're riding a bike." Katniss laughs too as they start for the door. "Have fun, though!"

"With him?" Katniss asks, looking toward Peeta. "Absolutely not." Peeta feigns shock as she pushes him out the door, and Katniss waves over her shoulder, giving Madge the room to herself. She checks her phone to make sure her dad hasn't called again before going to her desk and looking for a book to read, something she hasn't sat down and done for a while.

Before she can climb up into bed there's a crisp knock on the door. She races over and pulls it open curiously, wondering if something's happened in the hall or perhaps the RA realized she had a candle, and freezes completely when she sees Gale.

"What are you doing here?" she blurts.

It takes Gale a second to respond, taking her in for the beauty that she is. Madge's golden hair is strung up into a messy bun, wispy strands have broken free and frame her face. Clearly she's still in her pajamas as well, she's the shortest shorts he's ever seen her in (holy _hell _those legs get him every time) and a big floppy sweatshirt.

"Katniss signed me in before she left," he says. She blinks a few times, still trying to process the fact that he's here. "And I know that the person who signs the guest in should be with their guest the whole time, but I managed to get up here without getting into any trouble."

"Gale," Madge lets out a huff but he looks so hopeful. "You really should go."

"Yeah…" he scratches the back of his neck. "But, like…" he shrugs. "What if I… stayed? Instead?" Madge huffs again as the corners of his lips pull up. "Would it help if I added that I'm escaping my dorm because Delly and Thom are having afternoon sex and I'd rather not be there?" Madge wrinkles her nose. "What about if I also added that I'm willing to order pizza for lunch?" Madge tilts her head to the side, making a face. "We can watch _Lost_?" Another face. "I didn't bring any homework this time," he says.

"Ehh…" Madge finally caves, pulling open the door. "Fine." Gale grins, entering the room with a feeling of victory erupting in his veins. "I thought you had training for your new job today?"

"I did," Gale says, motioning to his _Hello, my name is _nametag stuck to his shirt. He peels it off and presses it to her forehead, receiving a frown from her. "They haven't made my official nametag yet." Madge peels the sticker from her forehead and presses it to her wall where she's stuck a medley of other things such as postcards and photos. To know that Gale's joined the wall makes him feel better, still. "Got out early. They called me a fast learner."

"I wouldn't go _that_ far," Madge says. She grabs her laptop and crawls into bed. Gale kicks off his shoes and prepares to join her when she lifts her foot and presses it to his chest. He stops, cocks an eyebrow, and looks at him sternly. "Well?" Gale looks at her with so much confusion that if animated question marks could pop out of his head they'd do so now. "Have you ordered pizza yet or what?"

He laughs and nudges her ankle out of the way. "Give me a minute."

* * *

Sometime between an episode of _Lost_ and a slice of pizza they fall into a comfortable silence. Gale's eyes are focused on a picture on Madge's desk. In the photo Madge stands between two people he knows are her parents, their arms are all lovingly wrapped around one another. It's a classic family photo, all of them are wearing CU shirts and standing by the football stadium. Madge looks infinitely happy, her mother looks infinitely healthy.

"You know I really am sorry about what I said yesterday," Gale murmurs, "right?" Madge wipes her mouth with the back of her hand to get rid of some pizza grease. He turns his head to look at her and she dips her head a little. "I've never…" Gale struggles with this conversation. "I've never really gone through what you're going through. All of my grandparents died when I was younger so I didn't understand."

"Gale," Madge says softly. "Please, it's okay."

"It's not okay. I don't know what you're going through, I can't compare my feelings or feel what you're feeling." He waits until her eyes meet his and then he says it again. "I'm sorry. For all of it."

She doesn't respond right away, but eventually Madge tears her eyes from his and lifts her shoulders. "It's not your fault."

"But I still feel bad," he says. "And I… I want you to know that if you ever need anyone to talk to that you can come to me." Her eyes are still downcast but her cheeks turn pink. "I'm not… I don't know what to say to make things alright, but I can listen pretty well."

Madge lets out a deep breath before admitting, "I don't like to talk about."

"Then… we can sit in silence together."

Finally she looks back up at him, her mouth curving into a faint smile. "Thanks, Gale."

They sit in silence another moment just watching each other before he looks back at her laptop. "Episode five, then?" he asks. Madge nods her head gratefully and he presses _play_.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for the infrequent updates! NaNoWriMo is draining me and making me very unmotivated. Also it's weird that Thanksgiving is coming up in real life and Halloween hasn't even happened in the story, you know? It's confusing! Love to Alys always because she is my hero and fave person. Hope you enjoy it!_


	7. may you find happiness there

_keep your head up, keep your heart strong  
keep your mind set, keep your hair long_

* * *

With class all morning long and then answering phones all afternoon Gale is thoroughly exhausted. Thom was right, the pay for working for the Housing and Residence Life office is _supreme_, especially now that the snow cone stand is closed, but not once did Gale think it could be such a tiring job. Parents are angry. Rich parents who think their children are angels and deserve everything even after caught with illegal drugs in their dorms make Gale want to tear his hair out. He doesn't have a problem with a little rule breaking, but he does have a problem with helicopter parents.

The best way for Gale to relieve stress is to go to the gym. His favorite part of the gym, informally known as the _Training Center_ amongst the students, is the rock wall. There are multiple levels of difficulty on the wall and he's been coming ever since he was a freshman, still learning how to use the muscles that high school football gave him. Climbing gets his body aching in a familiar, soothing way.

Thank God that Capitol is a school that people like to donate to. The rock wall was recently expanded, a whole section of the gym is dedicated to climbing.

Gale grins when he sees Johanna behind the checkout desk. "You haven't been out here in weeks, Hawthorne," she laughs. She's been working at the climbing center since sophomore year. "Rough day?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," he mutters. They chat for a bit as Gale pulls on his climbing shoes and harness. "God, I missed this." He bounces on his toes as he waits for an available worker to hook into. Usually he and Thom belay for one another but Thom said he had work to do and couldn't come tonight. "Are you working the ropes tonight?" he asks her.

Johanna grins. "Always working for you, Handsome." Gale laughs as Johanna emerges from the back desk, motioning for someone to take her spot in handing out gear. They walk to the climbing wall and Gale starts to loop the rope through his harness and tie the knot when Johanna suddenly smacks his butt. Gale leaps and turns to look at her. "The best part of belaying you is looking at your ass, Hawthorne."

"I'm not up the wall yet, Jo," he chuckles. "Good to know that you're paying attention to me, though."

She laughs as she hooks herself in. "Barely."

* * *

Gale's browsing Twitter when he gets a Snapchat from the only person that makes his stomach feel funny. When Madge's name pops up he clicks it immediately and views the picture. Madge has snapped Katniss's bed with a comment that says _room to myself!_

Gale sends a selfie back as fast as he can. _Does that mean I can come over? _

Madge can't stop laughing when she receives the photo and responds _absolutely not!_ He chuckles at her response before groaning and dropping his head backwards onto his pillows. It's not like he has a 12 part plan to win over Madge Undersee but he definitely has _something_. Ever since he decided to work on their friendship things have been going well. They've been watching _Lost_ and Snapchatting more often and he feels incredibly comfortable with her.

She makes him laugh in a way that others can't, makes him feel like a better person just by smiling at him. Madge isn't simple either, she's complex and wonderful to try and unravel. They might've gotten off to a poor start but more than anything he wants to know everything there is to know about her.

Before he can snap back another picture there's a knock on his door and then Thom cracks it open. "Can I—"

"Yeah." Thom walks into the room, his feet dragging a little. Gale sits up, "What's wrong?" Thom lowers himself to the edge of Gale's bed and drops his head into his hands. "Thom, talk to me."

"I don't—I don't know." He rubs at his face tiredly before looking up at Gale. "I just got back from dinner with Bristel. I mean we always used to get food just the two of us, you know? I didn't think it'd be any different." Thom rakes at his face again and sighs. "I care so much about Delly, you know that."

"I know that," Gale nods.

"But Bris, she's…" Thom shakes his head and shifts, his body more facing Gale's. "You know how I felt about her."

"I know," Gale nods again.

"It was just, dinner with her was just so… it was like it used to be. Us hanging out. We haven't hung out in so long just us. I fucking miss her." Gale tries to hold Thom's gaze but it just isn't happening tonight. Thom can't focus, he doesn't know what he wants to say. "I'd never hurt Delly, though. She's—God, she's great. And she _wants_ _me_."

"Still don't know _why_," Gale jokes, trying to lighten the situation. Thankfully Thom smiles a little bit. "What are you getting at here, Thom?"

"I don't know. I'm not thinking about leaving Delly. I'm not. But Bristel, she…" finally his eyes meet Gale's. "She tell you anything? About me?"

Gale considers lying but eventually shrugs, "Yeah. I guess some." Thom's eyebrows shoot to his forehead but Gale shrugs again. "Are you thinking of leaving Delly or not?" he asks.

"Absolutely not," Thom shakes his head.

"Then I'm not going to tell you what Bris said."

Thom's eyebrows lift a minuscule amount further before he looks away. "Gale, if she has feelings for me you can't _not_ tell me."

"If Bristel has feelings for you then she's gotta tell you on her own, or you've got to ask. I want you to be happy, Thom, and if that's with Delly or Bristel or on your own, I don't care. But I'm not going push one or the other of them on you. Those are your choices."

Delly makes Thom happy, and Gale knows Bristel would make him happy too, but he can't force Thom to leave Delly because Gale and Bristel have been friends longer. That's not how relationships work. He wants Bristel to be happy too, they've been friends for such a long time, but again it's not what Gale wants for his friends. It's what they want for themselves, and how they get it, that matters.

"Fuck," Thom mutters, dropping his head into his hands. "Don't say anything to Delly," he croaks.

Gale nudges his friend with his foot. "Because I talk to her all the time when you're not around." Thom lets out a quiet laugh and shakes his head another time. "Talk to Delly before you make any decisions, you know? She really cares about you."

"I know. I know she does." Thom pushes himself to his feet. "I'm gonna call her. Thanks, Gale."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Thom reaches the door and Gale sits up, "Wait." His friend pauses and glances over his shoulder at Gale. "Be smart, okay?"

"Thanks, _mom_," Thom jokes.

* * *

Katniss's eyes bulge out of head as she skims prices but Madge looks indifferent. "Madge," Katniss says, "these boots are so expensive."

"They're only, like, 70 dollars," Madge tries. Katniss frowns. "I don't have any boots and it's turning into fall so I need to get some," she tries again. Madge doesn't feel great about dropping nearly 100 dollars on a pair of shoes but she can't wear sandals now that her toes are getting cold. "And it's buy a pair get another half off, so that's good too."

"Ugh." Katniss picks up a pair from the shelf and frowns. "I'll stick to shoes from Target."

Madge smiles as she sits down and begins to try on a few different pairs. Katniss looks bored, but Delly was busy writing a paper so she couldn't come along instead and Madge absolutely hates going to the mall alone. Katniss is good company, she doesn't ooh or ahh over anything which is really refreshing. Madge likes clothes and shoes but not because of how much they cost, just because of how they look. Katniss just doesn't really care.

Sooner or later Madge decides on two very trendy pairs of shoes. Without looking at the price in fear of feeling guilty on spending so much money on _shoes_ Madge purchases the boots.

"I just feel bad," Madge says later as they buy pretzels from the nicest place in the mall. "I shouldn't spend money on shoes when I could make sure my mom—"

"Stop that," Katniss cuts her off immediately. She's got a large piece of pretzel in her mouth. Katniss swallows and then frowns. "You deserve to treat yourself sometimes, Madge. You wanted boots. You got boots." Madge lets out a deep sigh but nods her head, lifting her strawberry lemonade to her mouth and taking a big drink from the straw. "Okay?"

"Fine," Madge forces out. Katniss knocks her elbow with Madge's and Madge smiles slightly. "O _kay_."

"Good." Katniss slows to a stop outside of Build-a-Bear Workshop and gnaws on her bottom lip. "Can we go in here for a second?"

Madge cocks an eyebrow. "…Why?"

"Peeta's birthday's coming up and I want to make him one of those personalized bear things." Madge smiles and quickly lifts her drink up again to hide it while Katniss groans, marching into the store without waiting for a response.

Madge quickly follows with a tiny laugh. She hangs back as Katniss browses the bears and the costumes and pulls out her phone to snap photos. A Snapchat of Katniss holding up a little chef suit goes straight to Gale with the caption _Peeta's driven her off the deep end. _Madge joins Katniss as she trudges deeper into the store and tries to hide her smile to no avail. Katniss becoming a softie is something Madge never thought she'd have to deal with. Not that it's a bad thing, Madge _loves_ that Peeta brings out the lightness in Katniss, it's just strange to see her comparing different teddy bear outfits.

When Madge receives a response from Gale she doesn't expect Katniss to see it.

"You're talking to Gale?" she asks.

Madge turns to browse some superhero outfits. "I sent him a photo of you browsing, is all," Madge says.

Obviously Katniss refuses to leave it that. She continues comparing outfits but not-so-subtly asks, "Are you two, uh—"

"Uh," Madge cuts her off. "Uh, what?"

Katniss lowers the outfit she's looking at and sighs. "He's my best friend. You're my best friend. Peeta always forces us all together. I don't want you to," she struggles for words, trying to distract herself with more bear clothes. "I don't want you to think we're pushing something on you."

"Gale and I are friends, Katniss."

"Gale doesn't _have_ friends that are girls."

Madge scratches her forehead and looks down at her phone, his Snapchat waiting for her viewing. "He has Bristel. And Johanna."

"He's had sex with both of them," Katniss frowns.

To mask the shock that springs through her veins she says, "He has _you_." Gale's had sex with Bristel? _And_ Johanna? Okay, Johanna was probably easy enough to guess. Madge left the gym the other day and got an eyeful of Johanna squeezing Gale's ass like it was hers (Madge likes to watch the rock climbers when she runs, okay? It's not that weird), but Bristel? That's news.

"That's different. I just don't want you getting hurt, Madge."

"We're just friends," Madge says again.

Katniss hesitates, finally putting down the outfits she'd been looking at. "He just wants to sleep with you," she says. Plain as day. "And it almost, he almost got away with it at that party we went to. And once he has sex with you he'll just push you aside again." Madge's lips part, she instantly diverts her gaze. Why does Katniss have to be so _blunt_? Why can't she be like Delly and at least maybe give her a little bit of false hope? "Madge, I'm sorry, but that's just how he is."

Eventually Madge's head tips forward. "Right."

Katniss fidgets awkwardly. She didn't mean for it to come off so rude, and she can't take it back now that she's said it. But Katniss has grown up with Gale and she knows how his mind works and she absolutely cannot let Madge fall victim to that. "Did you… do you _like_—?"

"No, Katniss," Madge shakes her head as hard as she can. "That's ridiculous."

"Excuse me," a person in an official shirt steps toward them. "Can I help you two with something?"

Katniss lifts the outfits she has in her hands and mutters, "Just browsing." The worker nods and smiles before leaving them alone again. Madge takes a deep breath and turns away a bit. "We should go," Katniss murmurs. Madge dips her head in agreement. Katniss shoves the bear outfits back on the wall. "You want to go to the gym when we get back?" Katniss asks.

Their little detour is breezed over as though it didn't happen.

* * *

Alright, so maybe Snapchatting isn't the best way to communicate with someone, but it's always been reliable. But now Gale has sent about five Snapchats, _all_ which have been opened, and has yet to receive a response. Gale forces himself out of his room and into the living room where Delly and Thom are cuddled on the couch watching some show on Netflix Gale could care less about.

He lowers himself onto the opposite couch and Delly smiles at him before returning to something on her phone. She doesn't care much for Thom's shows but she'll sit through them with him. He presses kisses to her shoulders, so it's sort of a win-win anyway.

"How are you, Gale?" Delly asks.

"I'm alright," he answers. "Hey, have you talked to Undersee lately?"

Delly cocks an eyebrow and Thom smiles into her skin where her shoulder meets her neck. "Of course I have. I just texted her." Ah, of course. He should just text her. "Why? What's up?"

"Nothing," he shakes his head, diverting his eyes to the TV. Thom stays silent, his mouth a permanent smile. "Just haven't talked to her for a while." He pulls out his phone and quickly types in a message.

_**From Gale – 7:34 PM  
Wanna grab lunch tomorrow? My breaks from 12-1 **_

All the way across campus in her dorm Madge receives the text with a little jump. She hadn't been expecting him to _text_ her, she figured he would leave her alone after her ignoring countless of his (incredibly adorable, why is he so cute?) Snapchats. She reads the message and then sets her phone down, gnawing on her bottom lip and returning to her paper. Hardly 30 seconds later her phone buzzes again.

_**From Gale – 7:34 PM  
You have your read receipts on Undersee I know you read that message**_

_From Madge – 7:35 PM  
I'm writing a paper._

_**From Gale – 7:35 PM  
Is that a yes to lunch?**_

Again she tries to ignore him, but because of the stupid iPhone update that she's not used to yet she accidentally reads that message too. Madge pushes her phone to the side and tries her hardest to dive into this paper but her thoughts are still on Gale. If all he wants to do is sleep with her, he's trying awfully hard. Either that, or they really _are_ friends. Who do things together. Like get lunch. Despite Katniss's protests.

_**From Gale – 7:37 PM  
Im starting to think youre ignoring me. Whatd I do?**_

_From Madge – 7:38 PM  
I'm not. You didn't do anything._

_**From Gale – 7:38 PM  
So then lunch…**_

_From Madge – 7:39 PM  
Fine._

Gale rests his head backwards against the throw pillow of the couch and wrinkles his nose. It doesn't feel right. Something somewhere took a turn for the worst and for some reason Gale doesn't think it was him that made a mistake this time. That doesn't make him feel any better.

* * *

When Gale shows up in the food court and spots Madge in the corner she told him she was sitting in, he almost turns around and walks away. Because she's sitting with Finnick Odair. Eventually he manages to swallow his anger. It takes him the entire duration of the time he's in line at the pizza place to do so, however. Finally after getting his food he walks over to the table and sits down.

"Undersee," Gale tips his head at Madge as he lowers himself into a seat. As an afterthought he glances in Finnick's direction. "Finn. Didn't know you'd be joining us."

"Madge asked me along," Finnick says. "Hope you don't mind."

Gale forces a tight smile despite the fact that his teeth are clenched. "Of course not." Madge is almost done her Chick-Fil-A but she's slowly nursing her fries. She gives Gale an awkward smile before looking down at her tray. "How've you been?"

"I've been alright," Finnick answers brightly, pushing around his salad with his fork. "Madge's been helping me with a paper," he says, looking in her directions. Madge smiles and lifts her soda to her lips, taking a drink. "I'm mentally exhausted."

"Mm," Gale tears off his straw wrapper and sticks his straw in his drink. "And how's your _girlfriend_?" he bites.

Finnick brightens again, "Annie's wonderful!" But Madge's eyes are dark, and so are Gale's as he looks in her direction.

Gale commands himself to remain civil throughout the meal, conversing with mainly Finnick because Madge is keeping herself quiet. Despite the underlying jealously Gale really does enjoy Finnick's company, and he likes even more that he has a girlfriend so he can't get in the way of his moves on Madge. Gale just really wanted to be by himself with Madge for lunch, see what's going on.

When Finnick gets up to refill his soda and leaves Madge and Gale alone at the table he decides to address her. "I thought lunch would just be us," Gale says.

Her shoulders lift slightly. "I ran into Finn on the way here."

Gale scowls. "He said you'd been helping him on a paper. You were with him prior."

"Okay, so?" Her face is hot. She fiddles with her tray without looking at him. Madge won't even lift her gaze.

"You are literally purposefully ignoring me."

"No I'm not."

"_Undersee_," Gale growls.

"I—" she fumbles for words, throwing her hands up in the air. "I'm not going to sleep with you!" Gale blanches, his eyebrows shooting to his forehead. Madge slaps her hand over her mouth and Gale's jaw drops slightly.

"Excuse me?"

"Kat—Katniss said that you're just being friendly to me because," Madge takes a deep breath. Her cheeks are pink, as is her forehead and her chest. "Gale, I thought we were friends I don't want—"

"We _are_ friends," Gale says, still fuming inside because why the fuck would Katniss _ever_ say that? Not only does he feel betrayed but also a little guilty – a few months ago he _was _just trying to sleep with her. But now, like Gale swore to himself they would be before he made any further moves, he considers Madge a friend. "What the fuck, Undersee?" Her face is so red it looks like she's a freaking cartoon character, and the sight of her dropping her face into her hands causes a sudden laugh to bubble out of Gale. This entire conversation has taken such an unpredicted turn he can't help but laugh. She peeks at him through her fingers.

"I'm sorry," she squeaks. "I—I don't want, I really like being friends with you, and now I sound so dumb and cheesy and—"

"It's o_kay_," Gale says, laughing again. Eventually she lowers her hands. "Christ, Madge. You think I'd jeopardize my _Lost _viewing partner?" She lets out an airy laugh, and finally her mouth curves upwards. "Not a chance in hell." They stare at one another for a long moment before he admits, "I like being friends with you, too."

By that point, Finnick returns, one of his eyebrows high on his forehead. He shifts his eyes back and forth between the two and asks, "What'd I miss?"

* * *

The second Gale leaves lunch he's dialing Katniss's number, fire burning in his chest. He feels better about Madge but there's an anger inside of him that he can't squash. He starts walking back to work in a nearby building and waits for her to answer, _needing_ her to answer.

After three rings she picks up, "Hello?"

"What the fuck is your problem, Katniss?" he growls. There's a whole bunch of shifting on the other side. "Why the fuck would you tell Undersee that I'm just trying to sleep with her?"

"Aren't you?"

"_¡__Qué chingados!_ You've got a fucking problem," he snaps. Maybe at one point that was his goal, to bed Madge Undersee, but not anymore. Not yet, anyway.

Katniss sighs loudly on the other side, "I know your brain, Gale. I know how you think."

"It's different with her," he mutters. "Undersee—Madge, _carajo_, Katniss." He drags a hand through his hair and pauses outside of the office. "You can't say shit like that to people I care about. And I care about her. Not just because I want to sleep with her, either." Katniss is quiet on the other end. "Why're you so opposed to me being friends with her?"

"I'm not," she protests.

"Then stop trying to fuck this up for me." He hangs up the phone with a grunt and shoves it into his pocket, entering his office with a scowl.

* * *

_A/N: I JUST GOT BACK FROM MOCKINGJAY. O M G. (oh my gale) lol jk that's lame BUT REALLY I enjoyed it a lot and I hope you all get a chance to see it! Benefits of Madge not being in the movie include: her death isn't mentioned! THEREFORE I can pretend it didn't happen. Because it didn't... duh. I hope you enjoy the chapter, let me know what you think!_


	8. the sound of my heart breaking

_often i lie wide awake  
think of things i can make  
but i don't seem to have the parts to build them_

* * *

Katniss is distracted.

She's really bad at hiding her emotions, Peeta's realized over the months, which is bad for her but good for him. He reaches beside her and tugs gently on her braid. As if she's expecting it, which she usually is, she leans into the pull and turns to him with a frown. He leans in as well, quickly pressing his lips to hers.

"What's wrong?" Peeta asks. Her frown deepens as he snatches another kiss. "Don't lie."

"Nothing."

"That's a lie." Katniss turns her head away from him and lifts her shoulders slightly. Peeta pokes her in the side which causes her to jump. "Talk to me." She lets out a short breath and groans, wiggling away from him so she can stretch across her bed. They had been watching something on Netflix but Peeta's paused the show by now, putting the laptop to the side. He crawls up to her, hovering over her with a wicked glint in his eyes. "Don't change the subject."

"I didn't even say anything." He cocks an eyebrow at her position and she smiles slightly. "Fine. I'm worried about Madge."

"I'm always worried about Madge," Peeta admits, what with her mom only having a few more months to live. Mrs. Undersee is insistent that Madge stays at school over the weekends instead of coming to visit because she wants Madge to live a full life despite the fact that Mrs. Undersee is dying. And the only reason Madge actually _listens_ to that is because she doesn't want to upset her dying mother. "Something else happen with her mom?"

"It's not—ugh." Katniss groans again. "It's not her mom, it's Gale." He tilts his head and Katniss extends her hand, "Don't give me that look. Gale, he," she drops her hand and groans another time. "Maybe he has changed. I don't know."

Katniss relays all of the information she knows about the situation to Peeta, though it takes a few more groans and quite a lot of pregnant pauses. She ends the story with Gale telling Katniss not to 'fuck it up' for him, which brings her back to the idea that he's just trying to sleep with her.

"Maybe it's more than that," Peeta says. "Maybe he actually likes her." Katniss wrinkles her nose. "It's not that hard to believe, Katniss. Madge is great and Gale's been with a lot of not-so-great girls and made plenty of not-so-great decisions. Maybe he wants to get it right this time."

"Maybe. But he's—" Katniss knows how it sounds to say these things about one of her best friends, but she can't _help_ but worry. "Gale's tried hooking up with Madge before. Why is now any different?"

"They're closer now, I guess." Again, Katniss wrinkles her nose. Before Gale and Madge began talking daily, hanging out as friends, a hook up would've been easy. They weren't necessarily friends last time Gale tried getting her into bed. But now that they're friends it would break something that they have building. "Why is that so troubling to you?" Peeta asks. "Maybe he wants to be with her. Like _date_ her. And stuff."

"And stuff," Katniss echoes. "Like sex. So he'd still want to sleep with her."

Peeta laughs a little, "Yeah, I guess, but it'd be more than that." Katniss sighs loudly and Peeta slides his hand around her waist. "Gale has… some work to do in the Madge-department, but they could… they could make it work."

Katniss turns to face him, a tiny smile filling her face. "I hate that you always see the best in people."

"Someone has to counteract your cold heart," he teases.

* * *

She calls Katniss, and there's no answer. And then she calls Peeta, and there's no answer. And they're not in the room, which means they're probably out on a date considering it _is _date night (Tuesday! Every Tuesday!). Maybe they're seeing that Claymation movie Peeta wanted to see, or maybe they went to Peeta's room for once to have fun and their phones are on silent.

Either way, Madge needs a friend right now so desperately and they aren't answering their phones.

She considers trying Delly but then shuts that idea down immediately because Delly won't give her what she needs, and then maybe Finnick but she doesn't know him well enough yet for these things. The only logical person for her to call, the only person coming to her mind…

"Hello?" he answers the phone.

"Gale?" she asks. Her tone causes him freeze.

"Hey, what's up? You okay?"

"No, not really, I—" Madge is busy pacing the room and trying to collect herself. "I need to talk to someone. I just, can I—are you busy?"

"I'm just doing homework. You wanna come over?" She's nodding even though he can't see her. "Madge? Do you want me to come to your room?"

"No, no, I need to get out of here," she exhales. Everything feels heavy, the air is much too thin. "I'll be over in fifteen minutes. Thanks, Gale, I—"

"Hey, it's okay." His heart is somewhere in his throat, he doesn't like the feeling that's settling in his stomach." "Do you want me to come pick you up?"

"No, no," she protests immediately, but Gale's already standing with his keys in his hand. "No, please Gale. I'll just, I'll be there soon. Just wait there."

She hangs up before he can insist because talking is too much of an effort and it's hard for her to breathe. After pulling on her CU sweatshirt and her backpack she leaves her dorm quickly. The walk to Gale's dorm isn't too terribly long, and the air is crisp which calms her slightly. By the time she gets there the sun is beginning to set and campus is clearing out.

When she reaches Elkwood Hall Gale is waiting outside for her. The second she hung up he dropped his keys and raced downstairs to wait for her, awkwardly pacing in front of the desk and waiting for her to arrive.

His heart breaks when he sees her. She hasn't been crying but her eyes are wide and red as though she could at any moment. Madge's eyebrows are furrowed as though she's scared or confused or maybe both. She walks straight to him and doesn't even try to do that polite smile she does when she's upset. Gale considers holding his arms out to hug her but they've never been the type, and Madge doesn't seem like she'd want that now.

"Hey," she rasps.

"Let's go inside," he murmurs, guiding her toward the entrance. He signs her in and they get the guest slip and ride the elevator in silence. When they finally reach his dorm Madge walks straight into his room. Thom is in the living room and he cocks his eyebrow but says nothing as Gale follows her. She drops her backpack on the floor and then moves to the edge of his mattress, dropping her head into her hands. Gale quietly shuts the door and then stands a few feet from her. "Madge," he starts softly.

"My aunt is getting married," she says. He shifts awkwardly on his feet as she tugs on her hair.

"That's, um,"

"Great," Madge croaks. "It's great." Gale takes the few steps over to her and lowers himself beside her. Madge's head is still in her hands. "It's to her high school sweetheart, they've been together for literally decades. But the only—" her words get more strangled. "The only reason they're doing it now is-is because," she shakes her head. "They're only doing it because my mom's _dying_." Immediately he slides his hand around her waist and she leans onto his side, her forehead pressing against his chest now. "I'm sorry," she croaks.

"No, it's okay," he whispers. His hand rubs small circles on the small of her back as she sniffles, her body hiccupping for air.

"They just want to do it before she—" Madge struggles to breathe. "Before she's gone and…" she tries to match her breathing to his. "I'm sorry," she says again.

"Stop saying that," he murmurs. "It's alright." They're both quiet for a moment as she tries to will away her tears. "It's okay," he repeats softly. Madge's chin quivers and it takes all he has not to press kisses to the top of her head. "You want to watch _Lost_?" he asks, remembering that time she told him she really doesn't like to talk about these things. She's nodding instantly, her head bobbing against him. "Okay. We'll get my laptop." She nods again, slowly pulling away and wiping at her eyes. "You want something to snack on? We just got popcorn."

"Do you," Madge sniffles and keeps her gaze on the ground. "Do you have hot chocolate?"

"I can check," Gale tells her.

He eases off the bed and starts for the kitchenette. Under the grace of God he finds a box of hot chocolate packets. When Gale was little his parents would use milk instead of water in the instant packs so he decides to do the same now, filling up two mugs with milk and putting them in the microwave. As Gale's getting all of that ready Thom makes his way from the living room into the kitchen.

"She okay?" Thom asks, glancing towards Gale's room.

"Uh," Gale drags one of his hands through his hair. "I guess. Maybe. Not really. She will be but, I don't know." The microwave beeps and Gale pulls the mugs out. "Can you mix them for me?" he asks. "I'll be right back."

"Yeah, of course," Thom nods.

Gale returns to his bedroom where Madge has grabbed Gale's laptop from his desk. She's staring at the open screen with a wrinkle between her eyebrows. "I don't know your password," she says quietly. He chuckles and crosses the room, sinking onto the mattress beside her and quickly typing it in. _annakendrick1._ She screen loads and she smiles weakly at him. "Thanks, Gale."

"Be right back." He leaves the room again and goes to the kitchen where Thom has stirred the two cups of hot chocolate. "Thank you," he exhales as Thom hands the mugs over.

"It isn't a problem at all," he insists.

Gale smiles in gratitude, thankful that he can always rely on Thom, and goes back to his room where Madge has opened Netflix and signed in on her account, considering it's saved what episode they're on. "Here," Gale offers the mug to her and she sits up, accepting it with a light in her eyes that wasn't there moments ago. "It's hot, though. Be careful." Madge grabs the mug and smiles at him as he slides onto the bed beside her. "What episode were we on, again?"

"Seven," she answers, blowing on her beverage. Gale presses play on the episode and leans backwards beside her.

Two episodes later Madge is beginning to doze off. She murmurs something about hot chocolate always making her sleepy and she curls onto her side into him, her eyes drifting shut. Gale waits a few minutes before pausing the episode and exiting Netflix, shutting his laptop. Madge shifts beside him and onto her stomach. Gale can't help but smile.

He climbs out of bed and sets his laptop on his desk before rifling around for her phone. "Madge," he nudges her slightly when he finds it. She jostles awake but only a little bit. "When's your first class tomorrow?"

"What?"

"First class," Gale says. "On Wednesdays. I'm setting your alarm."

"Mm…" her eyebrows furrow together as she grabs his pillows and cuddles them. "10."

"Alarm for 9?" he asks.

"Mm," she nods, just barely. Gale chuckles and sets the alarm before placing her phone on the nightstand by his bed. "Gale?" He pauses in the doorway as she sits up slightly, looking at him through squinted eyes. "Where're you going?" He goes to answer but she shakes her head. "Stay in here." Her face is filled with sleepiness and sadness. "Can you?" He blames her request on the emotionally exhausting night and her sleepiness. "Please?"

"Sure," he nods.

He changes in the bathroom but then crawls into bed beside her. She shifts awake again, but only to nuzzle closer to him as he slides under the blankets. "Thanks," she exhales.

"Of course," he whispers back. "Night, Undersee." She smiles just a little and he presses his lips to her forehead, just because.

* * *

She wakes up incredibly disoriented and really warm. Her cheek is pressed to Gale's chest and his arm is wrapped around her waist. There's a puddle of drool on his shirt which is _incredibly _embarrassing because she knows it came from her. Madge blinks a few times, squinting into the room, and tries to reason with herself as to how they ended up like this. Slowly and very carefully she wiggles her way out from his side. Her skinny jeans are tight and uncomfortable, her hair is a mess.

She sees the two mugs from the night before on his bedside table and grabs them, along with her cellphone and backpack at the foot of the bed, before leaving his room as quietly as she can.

The groans when she finds Thom in the kitchen, but she already has the mugs and it's not like she can just leave them on the floor, so she squares her shoulders and walks in to greet him. Thom spins around in shock when he hears footsteps, and then grins wickedly.

"Madge," he cheers. She smiles politely and sets the mugs in the sink. "I didn't know you were still here."

"I fell asleep last night," Madge tells him. "Gale didn't want to wake me, I guess."

"Mm-hm," Thom smirks. He sips from his own mug, one filled with coffee.

"Nothing happened between us," Madge says quickly. Thom just continues to sip from his mug, his eyes still trained on her. "Alright, I should go." She looks toward the microwave and finds the time, almost 9AM. There's a hazy memory in her mind that remembers she has an alarm set, that Gale set one for her. Thank God she woke up and slipped out before it went off, or he would've woken up too and they were all cuddled together like they were. "Bye, Thom."

"Want a cup of coffee?" he asks, lowering his drink. "You look like you might need it." Her eyes trail to the pot and Thom lifts an eyebrow. "It's fresh."

"I really should go," Madge says. "But thank you."

"Mm-hm," he hums again. "See you later." Madge nods and readjusts her backpack on her shoulder, desperate to leave Elkwood Hall as quickly as she can. She'll fix her hair on the elevator.

* * *

Gale wakes to the sound of dishes being put away in the kitchen. He sits up sleepily and stretches, throwing his arms back and sighing in pleasure as his spine cracks. The side of the bed Madge had been sleeping on is cold meaning she left a while ago, and because he didn't wake up to her alarm means she must've slipped out earlier than that. He scrubs his hands over his face and pushes himself out of bed.

Thom's in the kitchen putting away cups when Gale makes his way out there, and Thom's smirk says everything it needs to.

"Ah, ah," Gale shakes his head. "Don't even start. She had a rough night."

"_Suuure_." Gale frowns at him and pours a cup of coffee, even though the pot is cold now. "How'd you, er, _sleep?_" Thom asks.

"Actually that was one of the best nights of sleep I've ever had in my entire life." Thom chuckles, and it's his turn to shake his head at Gale. "And yet I feel like I just had a one night stand." He always feels so unfulfilled in the morning when either he or the girl he's with has to sneak out.

"Well that's just great," Thom laughs. "Look at you. Managed to get Madge Undersee into bed after all." Gale rolls his eyes and moves to put his cup of coffee in the microwave. It won't be as good but at least it won't be cold. "That was a joke, Captain."

Gale groans, "Don't call me that." Thom snickers as Gale presses a variety of buttons to make the microwave work. "You see her when she left?"

"Sure did," Thom nods. "She looked like a deer in headlights. Probably didn't expect me to be awake."

"Only psychopaths wake up at 7 to go to the gym," Gale says back. The microwave beeps and he removes his cup of coffee, blowing on the surface.

Gale knows that Madge asking him to stay last night was a reflection of her loneliness, and he didn't mind whatsoever, but he doesn't want that to change how things had been going between them. He really does care for her, his heart aches when he hears about her mother. And last night, loneliness aside, was really _nice_. Gale slept very well but he does remember once or twice waking up and feeling their ankles hooked under the sheets or Madge snuggling closer in her sleep. He might've pulled her closer a few times too. Her hair smelled like vanilla and she was warm and it just felt _right_ having her there.

He hadn't wanted to rush things with her but there's a part of him that wishes he could. She deserves more than that, however, especially with what's going on with her mom. And after the other day when Madge said something about how he just wanted to have sex with her it would look really suspicious if he started making moves.

_One step at a time_, he reminds himself.

* * *

Katniss shoots out of bed when the door opens and Madge sneaks in. She has enough time to stop back in her dorm before going to class so she can change and brush her teeth and wash her face and grab an apple and pretend like she didn't just stay the night with Gale.

"Where the hell have you been?" Katniss asks. "You called me yesterday and then when I got out of the movie I texted you like a thousand times and you can't just fucking disappear off the face of the planet! I thought you might've gone missing!"

"I texted you _back_," Madge says with a frown, throwing her bag on the ground by her bed.

"Yeah, but _probably not coming back tonight_ kind of sounds like you've been freaking kidnapped," Katniss tells her. She sits up and Madge goes to the dresser, rifling around in her drawers for something to change into. "Where were you?"

"Nowhere, Katniss." Across the room Katniss makes a noise of disapproval in the back of her throat. "I didn't want to bother you, you were with Peeta—"

"Who is _also_ worried about you," Katniss frowns.

"—so I just called Gale and—"

Katniss cuts her off for good, "Stop." Madge sighs and holds tightly to the shirt she's pulled out of the drawer. "You were with Gale?" Madge bows her head. "Oh."

"Nothing happened," Madge tells her quietly. "I just needed—I needed to be around someone and Delly was _not_ an option and you guys were out I mean I guess I could've waited but I don't—" she sighs again. "So yeah, I was with Gale. And he really helped."

Katniss is silent a moment before she exhales, "Good. That's… good." Madge looks carefully over her shoulder to find Katniss staring at her own hands. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"No, Katniss," Madge turns around entirely and shakes her head. "Don't be. It's okay." Still, Katniss sighs and shakes her head slightly. "Please don't worry about it. I'm okay. It's okay. Everything's fine. Great even, I guess. I mean I get to be a bridesmaid so that's always nice."

Madge relays the story of her aunt's engagement as she quickly changes and runs a brush through her hair. Katniss listens silently while Madge scrambles around, getting everything she needs for the day.

"I should've been here for you," Katniss says once Madge is done speaking.

"It's _okay_," Madge says again. "Honestly. And I—I'm gonna be late for class, I've got to go." Katniss dips her head as Madge offers a weak smile. "How was your date, though? Did you see that movie that Peeta wanted to see?"

Slowly Katniss's lips curl upwards. "The Claymation one? Yeah. It was really good, actually."

Madge laughs lightly and nods. "Good." She starts for the door. "I'll see you later. We can get lunch."

"Sure," Katniss nods, allowing Madge to leave for class.

* * *

_From Madge – 10:02 AM_

_Hey, thanks for last night. I hope it wasn't weird. I didn't want to wake you when I left. Sorry for everything._

Gale's sitting at work when he gets the text from Madge. He checks the time and can't help but smile, knowing she must've sent it while she's sitting in class. He thinks back to last night and tries to swallowing the longing. At least now he knows that they really are friends, especially if she's going to come to him when she's upset about her family.

_**From Gale – 10:03 AM  
Stop apologizing. Im glad I could be there for you**_

_**From Gale – 10:03 AM  
Im always here if you need to talk ok? Or watch lost **_

Madge smiles and presses one of her hands to her cheek, considering she's using the other to hold her phone out of sight of her professor.

_From Madge – 10:04 AM  
Thank you._

* * *

_A/N: Happy holiday season! I hope if you celebrate Thanksgiving that it was wonderful and full of blessings. It's funny that it's Thanksgiving season in real life but in this story it's not even Halloween yet! Shout out to Alys my lovely lovely beta who I am incredibly thankful for no matter what. I hope you all enjoy the story!_


	9. now he's moving close

_keep the nightmares out  
give me mouth to mouth_

* * *

The phone rings at least five times before there's an answer. "Hello?" Despite the sound of her mother's tired and raspy voice, Madge is utterly relieved to hear her. Every phone call home is precious when she can hear her mom speak. "Sweetheart?"

"Hi, Mom," Madge exhales. She sinks backwards in the chair she's sitting in and smiles slightly. "Did I wake you?"

"No, not at all," Mrs. Undersee responds. "Is everything okay?"

Madge nearly rolls her eyes. She can't believe that her mother is asking if _she's _okay when Mrs. Undersee's the one who's practically out of commission. Her mother has stayed strong and proud through her entire treatment, and continues on. She puts others before herself, especially Madge, and refuses to admit to her daughter that she's uncomfortable or in any pain whatsoever.

"I'm okay. I just wanted to hear your voice." There's a shuffle on the other end of the phone and then a little bit of laughter. "Don't laugh at me. I miss you, Mom."

"I miss you too, Sweetheart," her mom responds quietly, still laughing softly. "But I don't want you worrying about me, alright?"

Madge wrinkles her nose. "I'm coming home next weekend." Before Mrs. Undersee can protest she adds, "I've got a huge paper to write and can't focus here in the dorms." A lie, but whatever. Mrs. Undersee doesn't need to know that and won't even care once Madge gets there. Not once does Madge consider her mother doesn't want to see her sick. "And about a month's worth of laundry on top of that."

"Oh, _honestly_, Margaret," Mrs. Undersee huffs. "You shouldn't have to leave school because of me. I've told you time and time again, I want your college experience to be full."

"My college experience _is_ full. Of dirty clothes and papers I need to write." There's another huff from her mother but Madge knows she's won. "Besides, I have to choose a major by spring semester and I need your help." She fiddles with the hem of her shirt for a second. "You always know me better than I know myself," she says quietly.

"That's not true," her mother sighs. "But of course I'll help you, Sweetie." Madge smiles and swallows down a sigh of her own. "I'm getting sleepy now, though," Mrs. Undersee says. "I should go."

"Of course," Madge nods. "Get your rest. I'll see you soon." There's a pause on the other end. "I love you, Mom."

"I love _you_, Sweetheart," she echoes quietly.

* * *

In between phone calls from unrightfully angry parents and filling out forms on the computer, Gale's job is utterly boring. He makes money, lots of money compared to the snow cone stand, but he's so utterly bored sometimes that he nearly falls asleep. Gale alternates between playing 2048 on his phone and doing his homework, but it's never really enough to keep him awake.

Gale presses the heels of his hands to his eyes and clenches his jaw, not wanting to yawn on the job. His boss, Alma, absolutely hates when people look tired. Even after chugging multiple cups of coffee he can't seem to keep his eyes open.

Forcing himself to remain productive Gale starts looking for more scholarships online even though the academic year has started. He still has a hefty bill to pay for tuition that's due in December and though he's making much more at this job than his last it's not going to grant him thousands. Even though he knows his mother absolutely hates the thought of it, Gale's going to have to take out loans. And they're not going to be cheap.

He avoids going to the website in which he can apply for loans and pretends like he might be able to find money elsewhere when all of a sudden the front door to the Residential Life Office swings open.

The coffee in his veins kicks into overdrive when he sees Madge Undersee striding toward him with the sweetest smile on her face. She stops at his desk and Gale struggles for words. "How can I help you?" he eventually forces out.

Madge laughs a little and it causes him to smile as well. "Well, Gale Hawthorne," she makes a big show of reading his nametag. "I have a request."

"I'll be happy to assist you in any way that I can, Miss," he responds, which causes her to laugh again. "What's up?"

"This is Housing and Residence Life, right? I need a new roommate. She's awful and drowning in her boyfriend."

Gale makes a face, "I hope not literally." Madge's face mimics his in disgust. "Sorry. Bad visual."

"Very bad visual," Madge agrees. "Anyway, she's going away with her boyfriend this weekend because it's his birthday. She even bought him a Build-A-Bear to prove her love is real." Gale begins to smile again as well. "And I don't have a car on campus, so I haven't a way to get home. It's just awful, isn't it? She's the worst."

Gale chuckles finally and drops the act. "You need a ride home?"

"Yeah," Madge dips her head. "Could you maybe possibly help me out with that? I'll pay for gas." Gale wrinkles his nose in fake hesitation when Madge swings her arms around from behind her back, revealing a white paper bag that has the words _Dunkin Donuts_ printed on the front. "This is a bribe," she says plainly. Gale throws his head back in a laugh and reaches for the bag, smiling greatly. "I know you don't have your lunch break until noon and I have a feeling you're not so good at getting breakfast."

"Coffee _is_ breakfast," Gale responds. He pulls out a donut and sinks his teeth into it before moaning in delight. "Fuck, this is good," he murmurs with a mouthful. "Everything okay? At home?"

"Yeah, yeah," Madge waves him off. "Just, need to go every once in a while." Gale nods, swallowing his bite and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "So that's a yes? I just have to make sure so my aunt doesn't have to drive down after work and—"

"I got you, Undersee," Gale smiles. He takes another bite. "Don't worry about it."

Before Madge can say another thing a mean looking woman approaches from the back office. Gale notices and quickly scarfs down the rest of the donut, swallowing it in one big _gulp_. She approaches Madge slowly, her mouth a thin line on her face and her eyes cold.

"Mr. Hawthorne," she says, though her eyes are on Madge. "I do hope you're not causing trouble, now."

Madge smiles prettily and swoops into Gale's rescue. "No, of course not, he's such a help," Madge responds. "I was looking for the mail room and ended up here. He was just giving me directions." Madge returns her gaze to Gale and she can tell he's fighting a laugh by the way he's pressing his lips together, and then it makes her struggle not to laugh as well. "Thank you again."

"My pleasure," he nods. She smirks and saunters out of the office, leaving Gale alone.

"Alma," he turns to the woman, his God awful boss, and lifts his eyebrows after swallowing down his smile. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Not at all," she murmurs. "Back to work."

As she marches away from the desks the boy in the seat a few down from Gale grins knowingly. Gale shrugs, pulling out the other donut from the Dunkin Donuts bag, and takes a delightful bite.

* * *

Gale comes over that night with two cups of hot chocolate from Dunkin Donuts, stating that he doesn't take bribes and this is him repaying her for his pre-lunch snack. Madge laughs as they settle onto her bed together, turning on Netflix without a second thought and sipping happily on her cocoa. It isn't quite cold yet but this October is definitely going to be cooler than most, they're only about a week in and the weather predictions are not looking so good.

Halfway into the first episode she plays (episode 11, they're really speeding along now) Katniss enters with shock plastered all over her face.

"I'll go," she announces loudly, making a big show to gather her things. She knows that Madge and Gale have gotten close she just isn't sure she's even going to get used to walking in them sitting side by side watching _Netflix_.

Madge rolls her eyes and pauses the show. "This is your room too, you can stay." Katniss hesitates, clearly wanting to leave and starting for the door. "We're just watching _Lost_, Katniss."

Katniss looks at Gale and he clenches his teeth. They haven't been talking very often, not since she accused Gale of only wanting to sleep with Madge. A few texts here, a lunch or two there. Nothing too much. But Katniss dips her head and lowers her things, moving over to her desk and starting on some homework without another word.

Madge presses play on the episode and Gale lets out the breath he had been holding when all of a sudden his phone buzzes in his pocket. He wiggles slightly and leans on Madge to get it from his pocket which causes her to groan and shove him aside.

"Sorry," he mutters. Gale pulls out his phone and frowns when he sees who it's from, quickly hiding it away so Madge doesn't see.

_From Katniss – 6:13 PM  
We should talk_

As discretely as he can Gale taps out his response.

_**From Gale – 6:13 PM  
I really dont think now is the best time for that catnip**_

He looks back at Madge who is steadily staring at the computer screen, watching Jack do whatever it is Jack's currently doing on this Godforsaken island.

_From Katniss – 6:14 PM  
You really like her dont you? _

Again Gale hides his phone. His chest is hot, his ears are probably red. He shifts awkwardly beside Madge and she shifts to look up at him with confusion in her eyes. She makes a face at him, and he narrows his eyes in response without letting himself smile. Madge shifts too, readjusting her laptop and falling slightly against his chest.

"Sorry," she forces out. He grunts in response. There is absolutely no way in hell he's able to text Katniss back right now, not with Madge so close. The smell of her stupid fucking vanilla shampoo is driving him mad. "Are you okay?" she whispers.

He lies, "Fine."

Her body is warm and distracting. His phone vibrates again, probably another message from Katniss, but Gale doesn't dare to open it. Fuck vanilla shampoo, man.

"Gale," Madge laughs quietly, causing him to look at her. "Are you sure you're okay?" Before he can respond she adds, "If you have somewhere to be—"

"No, no," he shakes his head. "I, uh, have to pee. Too much hot chocolate." Madge over exaggerates her nod and laughs again, pausing the episode and moving away so he can hop down from her bed. He quickly scurries out of their room to the hallway and pauses to regain himself. He doesn't _actually _have to pee. Instead, he pulls out his phone to read Katniss's text.

_From Katniss – 6:16 PM  
Shes my best friend_

_And what am I, _Gale thinks, _the traffic guard? _He drags his hand through his hair and rests his head backwards against the wall.

_**From Gale – 6:22 PM  
Yeah. And I really like her**_

Inside her room Madge shifts around and pulls up her phone, responding to a few Snapchats she received while Gale's been over. She stretches out and looks toward Katniss who is furiously typing onto her phone.

"Everything okay?" Madge asks. Katniss spins around quickly, her eyes wide as though she's been caught doing something she hasn't. "You seem… stressed."

_From Katniss – 6:23 PM  
What do you mean you really like her because you havent dated anyone sincerely in a long time gale _

"Yeah, no," Katniss waves her off and finishes the text she's working on. "I'm fine. Stressing about midterms and Peeta's birthday and…" she shakes her head. "No I'm fine." Katniss rests backwards in her chair. "So, Gale's here."

"Yeah. _And _he's giving me a ride home this weekend," Madge responds tightly. "It's no big deal. We're allowed to hang out, Katniss."

"I know." Katniss looks down at her phone and makes a face. "Sorry I can't give you a ride."

"It's okay, you and Peeta will definitely be enjoying yourselves elsewhere."

Katniss makes another face as Madge giggles, and then the corners of her lips turn upwards. "You could've asked Delly."

"Have you _been_ in the car with Delly for an extended amount of time?" Madge asks. "Gale just… knows, somehow. How to… be." Katniss looks down at her phone and nods, listening to Madge halfheartedly.

_**From Gale – 6:23 PM  
I mean I really like her and I dont want you fucking this up for me ok? I know Ive messed up before but shes different and so am I**_

"What do you mean?" she asks, texting as Madge speaks.

_From Katniss – 6:24 PM  
Please dont hurt her she has so much shit going on in her life right now_

_**From Gale – 6:24 PM  
I know that**_

_**From Gale – 6:24 PM  
Dont say anything **_

_**From Gale – 6:24 PM  
I want to do this on my own terms**_

"…and are you even listening to me?" Katniss tunes back in at Madge's question. Katniss looks up to find her roommate with an eyebrow cocked and a frown on her face. "I'll take that as a no."

"No, sorry," Katniss frowns too. "Sorry." Madge shrugs her shoulders and turns away with a sigh, looking toward her phone. "What were you saying?"

But Madge shakes her head again, not wanting to have to repeat everything she just spewed out about how Gale _actually_ listensto her and doesn't pry and is really patient and being around him gives her a sense of security that Peeta or Katniss doesn't give her. With Katniss and Peeta it almost feels like they're forced to check in on Madge because they're all good friends and always around one another, but with Gale it's like he _really cares_. And it's not that Peeta and Katniss don't really care it's just done in a different manner. He understands her in a way that they necessarily don't.

The door opens and Gale returns. His eyes are dark and his teeth are clenched. Madge lifts an eyebrow at him but he jerks his head to the side. _Don't ask_.

"I, uh," Gale sucks his teeth and looks at Madge, curled up in her bed and waiting for him to join her again. "I remembered that I've got a paper to write." Madge's face falls in disappointment and he doesn't miss it. _Think fast_, his brain screams. "So after this episode I've really got to go."

"Oh." Madge sits up and scoots over, allowing him to rejoin her. A bit of light returns to her eyes and Gale revels in it. "I thought you were going to leave me half way through."

Gale lets out a soft laugh. "Not a chance in hell, Undersee," he murmurs. His eyes dart to Katniss as Gale settles in beside Madge, but he returns his attention to the girl beside him. Madge presses play again and shifts like last time, leaning onto Gale's chest. He gets another whiff of her shampoo and his thoughts go hazy.

* * *

"So," Peeta announces, dropping his tray down on the table loudly as he takes his spot beside Katniss. Gale is on the other side of the bench looking absolutely miserable to be here. "I really don't know why I'm here."

Gale shoves his fork around his plate, campus food is _so fucking gross_, and frowns. "You and me both," he mutters.

"Gale," Katniss scowls, which causes Gale's frown to deepen. "You know exactly why you're here." Right, this is an _interrogation_. Madge wouldn't have to go through one of these if she admitted to liking Gale, they wouldn't make her. Of course he's going to be treated as though he's a criminal. "Listen," Katniss tries again, easing up slightly on her tone. "Madge is important to me."

"Wait," Peeta buts in. "This is about Madge? We're actually talking about Madge?"

"Peeta," Katniss elbows him with a hiss.

"Where is she? She should be here if we're _discussing_ her," he declares.

Gale shoots him a look and Katniss scowls. "She's at one of her meetings." Something about feminism, they're planning a body image event for the spring. She won't stop talking about it. "Anyway," Katniss starts once more. She looks away awkwardly, "You're _also_… important to me."

"Alright, just," Peeta waves his hand in Katniss's face. "Let me. So you like Madge. Right?" Gale frowns even deeper, if possible, and Peeta nods. "Good. Okay. Cool. Do with that whatever you want. Katniss is just worried because you used to hook up with a lot of girls." Gale opens his mouth to protest but Peeta holds up his hand to stop him. "Not this year, at least not that we've noticed, which is nice. But _used to_."

Gale groans, dropping his fork so he can drag both of his hands through his hair. "I want to make it work with her," he forces out. "Why is that so fucking hard to believe?" He doesn't need a speech from the perfect Peeta Mellark about his old habits. "I know she's got a lot of shit going on. I'm not a fucking idiot." Gale can't look at them as he speaks, his ears are on _fire_. "I don't want to rush into anything."

The two across from him are silent for a minute before Peeta says, "See? Told you so." Gale looks up and finds Peeta absolutely _beaming_ and Katniss looking slightly uncomfortable. Peeta shrugs his shoulders, "I approve."

"Great," Gale rolls his eyes. "All I need in life." Gale redirects his gaze to Katniss who's been staring at him. With his eyes he promises, _I'm not gonna hurt her_. At least not intentionally.

* * *

This car ride is a lot less awkward than the first.

Gale picks Madge up outside of her building and she doesn't sprint to his car like last time. She smiles politely and opens the door, sliding in and throwing her bag into the back. "Thanks again," she says as she buckles. "You're honestly so great."

"Well you're not wrong," he murmurs, shifting into drive and smiling when she laughs. "I'm going home this weekend too," he tells her, "so it's really not a big deal. You're only, fifteen, twenty minutes out of the way." After a bit of silence he adds, "I can pick you up too, if you want?"

"Oh, that'd be great," Madge nods. "But only if you're sure."

He shrugs, "It's no problem." They make small talk as they drive and sooner or later the radio gets turned on. Gale offers her his AUX cable and she hooks up her phone, playing The Slag Heap's new EP. Gale taps along on the steering wheel while Madge pretends she's not singing along under her breath. Eventually they turn into Madge's development and Gale turns to her. "I know you said everything was okay, but I just wanted to ask again." Madge smiles prettily and tucks her hair behind her ear, dipping her head into a nod. "Good," he exhales. "I'm… glad."

"Me too," Madge whispers. Finally they pull up at her house. Gale's stomach twists at the sight of the almost-mansion. After dropping her off he's going to have to go to his crummy little townhouse in the middle of some crowded neighborhood. Gale travels up the driveway feeling bad about himself. So bad he must be grimacing because Madge asks, "Is everything okay with _you_?" Her eyes flicker with worry. "I never ask, I… haven't thought to."

"No, yeah," Gale shakes his head. "I'm fine, don't worry about me." Madge reaches out, perhaps reflexively, and rests her hand on his knee. Gale's eyes follow the motion. "I'm okay," he adds an octave deeper, his hand dropping from the steering wheel to cover hers. "I haven't been home in a while," he tells her, forcing his gaze to find her again. "I think my little sister might be mad."

Madge smiles, then, and squeezes his hand, once again making Gale's chest feel tight. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you. All of your family." She squeezes his fingers again and looks up at her home. "I wish I had siblings." It must be such an empty house for being so big and only having a few people to live in it, Gale realizes. "I should go," she says. The car's been stopped for a bit now outside her door. "I'll text you about Sunday times?" Gale nods and she finally pulls her hand away. "Thank you, Gale."

The sincerity in her voice warms him. "I'll see you Sunday."

* * *

Madge flings herself into her father's arms when she gets inside. He's waiting for her at the door when she arrives and she drops her bags to the ground as he pulls her closer. "Hey, Sweetie," he says as he hugs her.

"I missed you," she murmurs into his chest. He pulls away and smiles at her.

"I missed you too." He redirects his gaze to the driveway where Gale's car is taking it's time getting back down the driveway. "Who was that who dropped you off? A boy?" Madge blushes and pulls away, reaching down to grab her bag. "I'm telling your mother," he teases.

She grins, readjusting the strap around her shoulder before starting for the stairs. "Not if I tell her first," she laughs.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for the lag in update, gadge week had me distracted! Happy Monday! Hope you enjoy it!_


	10. comfort will rest on my shoulder

**Disclaimer: possible triggers (abuse)**

* * *

_they say home is where your heart is set in stone  
is where you go when you're alone  
is where you go to rest your bones_

* * *

Gale creeps into his home as quietly as he can having told his parents not to tell the kids he was coming home this weekend and wanting to surprise them. He can hear someone in the kitchen putting dishes away, probably Vick considering that's his chore, and the distant hum of a television where high pitched voices fill the room. He kicks his shoes off at the door (his mother would kill him if he brought in dirt) and slides into the living room on his socks, trying not to get the fabric caught in the mangled hardwood.

As expected, Posy is staring mindlessly at the television. Her eyes are wide as Dora the Explorer says again and again _Swiper, no swiping!_ Posy's already bilingual considering their mother speaks Spanish in the home quite frequently, but Posy still acts as though Dora is really teaching her something big. Gale grins, bending down and covering her eyes with his hands.

"Guess who," he murmurs, lowering his voice as much as he can.

"_Daddy_," Posy giggles.

"_Incorrecto_," he shakes his head. _Wrong_.

Posy pushes his hands away quickly and spins around, her eyes widening and her mouth dropping when she spots him. "Gale!" she cheers. She launches herself at him and he scoops her into his arms, pulling her close. "I missed you!" She hugs him tightly and dramatically, as any five year old would. He spins and she pulls away. "Where have you _been_?"

"I've been at school," Gale reminds her. He tightens his hold on her and starts for the kitchen, ready to greet the rest of his family.

"I go to school every day and come back at night," she says pointedly. "Why don't you?"

"Because the school I go to is far away." In the kitchen, as expected, Vick is struggling to get the plates on their highest shelf. "Lemme get that," Gale says, placing Posy on the ground and grabbing the plates from Vick's hands. "You get the silverware."

"Gale!" Vick laughs and quickly scoops up the silverware. "I didn't know you were coming!" Gale sets the dishes on the top shelf and winces at the loud noise of clanging plates while Vick throws the silverware into their drawer. Once they're both done Vick slides on his socks, throwing himself at Gale like Posy had into a tight hug.

"Hey kid," Gale smiles, ruffling up his hair. "Where's Rory?"

"He's helping decorate at the high school," Vick answers. Posy clambers into a seat at the kitchen table and Gale lowers himself into one, too. "The homecoming dance is tomorrow and he's taking Prim." Gale wants to grumble, considering they're in 9th grade so they're not really _coming home_ like upperclassmen would be, but he's happy that Rory has a date. Maybe even a little happier that it's Primrose Everdeen. "Will Katniss be here?"

"I don't think she's coming home this weekend," Gale shakes his head. Katniss lives a few streets away, but he's _pretty sure_ she and Peeta will be somewhere by the ocean for his birthday. The beach is only about an hour and a half from school to the east, people make the drive all the time. It's going to be a little bit more special for the two of them this weekend, however. "Did Prim tell her about the dance?"

"I dunno?" Vick shrugs. He drops into the chair beside Gale. "But we can take pictures and tease Rory. That'll be great."

Gale grins, "That _will _be great."

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me?" Katniss mutters into the phone. She's spread out on a bed staring at the ceiling while Peeta checks out the hotel room. It's not _that_ big but he really likes the view from the balcony. "I would've come!"

"I'm going to go to so many more dances, Katniss," Prim says on the other end. Gale texted Katniss when he found out about homecoming. "And you could only be here for pictures, which Mom has covered. It's not like you could help with my hair or follow me to the dance."

Katniss groans and rubs her forehead. That isn't the _point_. Katniss was never a big school-dance person (she went to Prom because Gale asked, and she only went _his_ year not her own) but Prim is into all of those fancy dress-up things and Katniss wants to be there to support her.

"Let me know next time, okay?"

"Got it," Prim laughs. There's someone talking in the background. "Be quiet!" Prim scolds them.

A smile blooms on Katniss's face. "Is that Rory?"

"Got to go, Katniss," Prim hums.

"Tell him I say hi," Katniss laughs. "I love you, _patito_! Have fun, okay?"

"Okay. I love you too!"

Prim hangs up and Katniss sighs, throwing her phone down and turning on her side to look at Peeta who's still out on the balcony. She takes a deep breath and pushes herself off of the bed, taking large strides until she reaches the sliding glass door. She peeks out the door and Peeta turns his head, flashing a smile in her direction.

"How's Prim?"

"She's fine," Katniss smiles, sliding out to join him. He stretches his arms out and motions for her to join him and her smile widens as she walks out to his side. Peeta pulls her close and she slides her arm around his back as they stare out at the ocean. "Like the view?"

"Love it," he murmurs. "Love _you_." Katniss blushes and turns, slightly burying her face into his chest. "You didn't have to do this all for me. We could've stayed at school and locked ourselves into your room and I still would've loved it."

"You deserved something special," she answers quietly. The hotel room is a little pricey, considering it has an ocean view and it's a weekend, but because it's the offseason Katniss managed to get a pretty good deal.

He turns and presses his lips to the top of her head. "Can I at least pay for dinner?" Peeta asks. "It doesn't feel right having you spend so much on me." Katniss pulls back a little and is met with his puppy dog eyes before she sighs. "It's a fair deal."

"Fine."

"Good," he grins. Peeta casts his gaze back out over the ocean and Katniss looks as well. "My mom texted," he tells her. Katniss tenses unwillingly and it's Peeta's turn to sigh. "She didn't even bother with a phone call." She nuzzles closer to him and his arms tighten. "Dad called, though."

"Peeta," Katniss murmurs. His grip on her is tight, as though he's scared if he lets her go she'll disappear.

He only told her about his mother recently, a few weeks ago when she was drunk and he didn't think she'd remember. _She'd smack me when I spoke out of turn_, Peeta said. _When I didn't listen I'd get beat. I didn't know it was wrong until I got older. One of my cousins saw a bruise on my back. I made him swear not to tell anyone and he said something like, 'why, is someone hitting you?' like it was a joke. He told me everything_. He'd wanted to tell her for a long time but was scared, it's not something you open a conversation with. "Hi, my name is Peeta Mellark and my mother abuses me." _It doesn't happen as often anymore, _Peeta had told her. _Mostly because I don't go home, but because I don't take it. I won't accept that kind of treatment anymore_.

"He's leaving her," Peeta says softly, his voice void of emotion. "He'd been talking about it for a while but he's really doing it now that he knows what she did." His head shakes side to side. "Happy birthday, right?" Peeta sighs. "Sorry. I shouldn't—"

"If you want to talk about it," Katniss stops him, "then you know I'll listen." She had remembered that morning what he told her while she was out of it and it took her a while to confront him. His eyes widened in panic as she brought up what he'd said but Katniss held his hands and promised she wasn't going anywhere because of it. It had scared her at first, her family was loving and she never understood what an abusive household was like. _You should tell someone_, Katniss had urged, but Peeta refused.

He and his two brothers had endured it since they were children. While Peeta turned inwards and kept his feelings inside, Taftan took a different approach to how he dealt with women. Peeta still looked for the best in people, knowing not all women were like his mother, while Taftan projected his anger onto others and is still learning how to deal with what happened to them. Their father didn't know about it for a long time, and in light of the discovery immediately confronted his wife. It'd blown up into a big scandal in his hometown and made his stomach uneasy thinking about it. Peeta'd rather have it so no one ever knew.

"I'm glad he's leaving her," Peeta finally said. "We should've told him when we were little."

"You were scared," Katniss whispers. "You had every right to be."

He nods slowly and once again tightens his hold on her. "Sorry," he murmurs. "Sorry. We don't—we shouldn't—" Katniss reaches around and finds his hand, squeezing tightly. "That's not why we're here."

"You're right," she says, "we're here to celebrate you." She looks up at him and finds his blue eyes wide and wet. "Let's go to the beach before the sun sets," Katniss says softly. "Take a walk."

"I'd like that," Peeta nods, his lips turning upwards.

* * *

Madge is currently curled up in bed with her mom watching some old romcom they used to watch when Madge was in high school and hasn't felt this content in weeks. Her mother's fingers play with the tips of Madge's hair and Madge wonders if her mother misses her own hair – she must. She lost it during treatment. Her head is covered with a pink head wrap.

"You feeling okay?" Madge asks quietly. She looks up and finds her mother frowning at her. "Sorry."

"Quit asking how I feel, Sweetheart, it hasn't changed since the past 20 times you asked." Madge dips her head and her mother readjusts her arms so she's holding Madge closely. "I feel wonderful. I'm so happy you're here." Madge smiles and lets out the breath she'd been holding in, snuggling closer. "It's great that you came to visit."

"So much laundry…" Madge says. It's true she had a huge amount of laundry but mostly she just wanted to see her mom. "I should come home more often."

"What, so we can sit in a dark room together when you could be out with that boy instead? Absolutely not." Madge feels her face redden as her mother continues to twirl her fingers through her hair. "What was his name again?"

"Gale," she answers. "Hawthorne."

"Margaret Hawthorne," her mother hums. "Has a nice ring to it."

"_Mom_," Madge laughs, shaking her head. "We're not even _dating_."

"Yet."

"Ugh," Madge groans but can't wipe the smile from her face. Mrs. Undersee smiles and brushes Madge's hair from his face. "I don't know if we ever will. He's, um," Madge struggles for words. "He's good with girls, I guess. I don't think I'm really his type." Sometimes Madge thinks Gale just feels bad for her which is why he's been around so often. She tries her hardest so squash those thoughts.

"You are _everyone's_ type, Madgey." Madge whines and her mother grins. "You are an absolute catch." Her mother brightens, suddenly being struck with an idea. "I know! Invite him to the wedding!"

"I am _not_ inviting him to Aunt May's _wedding_," Madge says, her face red. Haymitch, soon to be _Uncle _Haymitch, would interrogate Gale for the entire duration of the wedding, even though it's Haymitch that's getting _married_. Her father would want to know his political views, Aunt May and her mom would never give up on the teasing. "No, that would be horrific. I absolutely cannot take him to a wedding for our first date."

"Well you _do _have a plus one," her mother sings. "So maybe take him on a date _before_ the wedding?" Madge shakes her head and her mom pats her cheek. "Think about it, Sweetheart, it could be fun."

* * *

When Rory finally gets home that night he looks exhausted. He greets Gale enthusiastically but then makes it to the living room and collapses on the couch, groaning under his breath. Gale follows him out and takes the spot beside him, nudging him slightly.

"You okay, kid?"

"Tired," Rory rasps. He lies down across the couch and lays his feet over Gale's lap. "I've been helping set up the gym since two thirty." He smiles slightly, "Prim helped too, but my body hurts."

"Yeah, Vick told me about that." Gale nudges Rory's legs until the boy pulls into himself, making a ball. "Since when are you on the homecoming committee? You hate that kind of stuff."

"A, I don't _hate that stuff_." Gale rolls his eyes. "B, Prim asked me to."

"Ah, there it is."

"_C_," Rory chimes, narrowing his eyes in his brother's direction. "If I help set up I don't have to pay for a ticket." He pulls his gaze from Gale and looks toward the ceiling instead. "We didn't have the money."

Gale feels his chest tighten. "What did you say?"

"I don't—I feel like we don't have the—"

"We didn't have the money for a Goddamn _homecoming_ _ticket_?" he growls. He starts muttering Spanish under his breath, something he only does when he's incredibly frustrated. Probably the fact that he's home has brought that back, too. Gale pushes himself to his feet and stalks out of the living room. "Ma!" he calls. _Qué chingados_. Hazelle could either be in the laundry room or her room or the kitchen or— "_Ma!_"

"The hell are you yelling for your mother like that for?" Gale spins around and finds his father in the doorway, an eyebrow cocked. Gale's anger dissolves when he sees his dad with extended arms. Asher Hawthorne is covered in oil stains and sweat but that doesn't stop him from pulling his son into a hug. Gale's always felt safe in his father's arm so he hugs him tightly. "Glad you're home."

"Good to be home," Gale exhales. They part and Gale steps back. "How's the garage?"

"Busy. I've worked late nearly every day for the past two weeks."

Gale scowls, remembering why he was looking for his mother, "Then how come Rory didn't have money for a homecoming ticket?" His father's scowl mimics his and Asher tilts his head toward the kitchen. "I stopped at the bank before coming here today," Gale says. "Took out loans. That way you don't have to keep funneling me money."

"You are not the only place our money is going, Gale," Asher murmurs, dropping into a seat. He lowers his head into his hands and rubs at his temples while Gale takes the seat across from him. "And we _did_have money for Rory to get a ticket, he just felt bad because they were fairly expensive and would rather us not spend it. So he's been working on the decorations."

"Okay, so why's he telling me he doesn't think we have any money?"

"I don't know. We've got a lot to pay for, doctors' appointments, insurance, mortgage, groceries…" Asher lifts his head. "The list is endless, Gale. Maybe because we went to the thrift shop for clothes?" He sighs and extends his hands, "We're still paying bills from when Rory jumped out of that tree and broke his wrist last fall."

"Idiot," Gale grumbles.

"Right? So don't go thinking Rory can't go to a dance because you're in school." Asher smiles kindly at his son. "_¿Vale_?" Gale exhales, nodding his head. "_Bueno_. Now help me with dinner, will you?"

Just then Hazelle enters the kitchen with a smile on her face, "_¿Oh? ¿Ustedes dos cocinando? ¡Maravilloso!_" She messes up both of their hair before leaving again. "Good to see two of my favorite _chicos_together again!"

"Hey!" Rory shouts from the living room. "Rude!"

* * *

"Alright," Katniss says. "Close your eyes." Peeta grins and throws his arm over his face, falling backwards in bed and turning away from her. She's been talking about this present she got him for a while and while he's _hoping_ it might be something for her to wear for him (he told Madge his wishes maybe a thousand times hoping she'd pass the message along), he's ready for anything. "Okay," Katniss says. "You can look." Peeta sits up and opens his eyes, slightly disappointed that Katniss is still wearing clothes, and furrows his eyes in confusion. In her hands is a brown teddy bear wearing an outfit. He blinks a few times before she blurts, "It's a Build-A-Bear."

"I can see that," he says, his eyebrows shifting to his forehead. Katniss moves forward and sits on the edge of the bed, handing it over to him.

"It's not all I got you," she adds quickly.

"No, I," Peeta laughs, accepting the bear. "It just isn't what I expected." Katniss still has panic in her eyes but Peeta reaches over, grabbing her hand. "I love it, Katniss," he tells her. His voice is filled with sincerity and it causes her nerves to ease.

"I, um," she's looking at the bear. "It was more, um, thoughtful in my mind. I think." Peeta redirects his eyes to the teddy and smiles again. "It's in a, uh, chefs outfit, because you always talk about how you want to open up your own restaurant, and I really think you could one day and—" he cuts her off, leaning over and pressing his lips to hers. When they pull away she smiles and blushes. "I love you," she murmurs.

Peeta kisses her again, desperate to make her understand that he loves her, too. Everyone tells him he's wonderful with words, but whenever Katniss makes him feel like this his brain turns to mush. She tugs on his shirt and deepens the kiss, causing a smile to split his face.

"Katniss," he pulls away, pressing his forehead to hers. "Thank you," Peeta exhales. He does want a restaurant, one day, and the bear will definitely be on a shelf somewhere that he can see. "I love it. I love_you_. I love you so much." Katniss feels lighter, her nerves from her silly gift finally gone as he peppers kisses all over her face. "I will cherish it _always_."

"Mm," her eyes finally lift to his. "But that's not all I got you." Now, instead of nerves from her silly gift, she has nerves for a different reason. Peeta will laugh at her, but in a good way she's sure. Madge thought this would be a good idea, insisted that Peeta would love it. And it's too late to back out now. "You have to close your eyes again."

A grin stretches across his face, "Really?"

"Don't laugh at me," Katniss muttered, causing his smile to widen. He obeyed, and when he opened his eyes again, her clothes were on the floor.

* * *

"Stop it, Ma—ugh!" Rory swats Hazelle away and his ears turn red. Gale grins from where he's standing, next to his father and Mr. Everdeen. Both fathers look proud, their eyes darting between Rory and Primrose who are a few feet apart. "I look fine!"

"Is my hair okay?" Prim asks, looking over her shoulder at her mother who is fixing the curled strands. "Did you take a picture for Katniss? What if it falls out while I'm dancing?"

"Just imagine when Prom rolls around," Asher murmurs, causing Mr. Everdeen to chuckle. "I remember your Prom like it was yesterday," he says, dropping his hand on Gale's shoulder. "You looked mighty handsome."

"Shame you and Katniss didn't work out," Mr. Everdeen adds. "But I'm glad you two are still friends."

"Trust me," Gale says, "she's incredibly happy with Peeta."

Mr. Everdeen smirks, "Yeah. She told me she was taking him away for the weekend." Asher snorts and Gale laughs too. "No hard feelings, then?"

"She's practically my sister," Gale shrugs. "I'm happy to see her happy."

"Ah, there must be someone else," Asher adds, waggling his eyebrows in Mr. Everdeen's direction. "Who is it?" Gale sets his jaw and redirects his eyes to Rory and Prim who have started posing for photos that Mrs. Everdeen and Hazelle are taking. "Aw, c'mon son."

"I didn't move on from Katniss because there was _someone else_," Gale mutters. "We dated in high school. That was, what, three? Four years ago?" They weren't even together when they went to Prom, Gale just needed a date and he and Katniss were still very good friends at that point. It only made sense. "There doesn't have to be _someone else_."

Mr. Everdeen and Asher exchange a glance and smirk. "We're just _teasing," _Asher tells him. Gale rolls his eyes dramatically and feels his phone vibrate in his pocket.

_Snapchat from strawberryberryfields3_

There doesn't _have _to be someone else, but there might be anyway.

* * *

_A/N: Hi friends! Happy holidays! A few things._

_1) My own personal view is that Katniss/Gale/people of the Seam are Hispanic considering the growing rate of Hispanics in the US are growing more rapidly (and many people believe Katniss is Native American which just seems improbable to me considering there is less than 1% of Native Americans left in the US and they're more on the North West and not on the East Coast where Appalachia would be - also it's lazy to assume someone who lives off the land/knows archery is Native American) and the people of the Seam are so big on family, and many Hispanics have olive toned skin, so in this story I've made that clear!_

_It's taken a few chapters really and that's my own fault because it wasn't something I wasn't consciously thinking of while writing but I've brought it in now. Mostly they only speak Spanish around their families (or Gale when he gets reallyreallyreally drunk or reallyreallyreally angry) because of being teased for it at a younger age - which will be addressed at some point in this story!). So yes, Hispanic Gale/Katniss/Seam folk (if you want to hear more on the theory feel free to message me! I won't rest until this is widely accepted.)_

_2) Peeta's past has been brought up like it is in the books. I found that part of the story really important in Peeta's character and I felt it necessary to put here too. Because while some families have money problems others have _other_ problems. And it's real, and it's in the world, and it's part of life. Taftan's rudeness to Madge has also sort of been given reason now, though it doesn't excuse it he does have his reasons for being a dick. And they're horrible reasons, but again that's how life happens sometimes._

_3) Capitol University is located on the East Coast (Appalachia land!) which just so happens to be where I live as well! Weird, right? I've modeled CU after my own college. And I have a friend that took her boyfriend to Ocean City for his birthday last year, so it's totally plausible! The drive isn't that far and the off season is nice to go._

_Lastly, if there's any Spanish that you think doesn't make sense (I use Google translate, I'm so sorry (also this means you can Google the words you don't know!)) please feel free to correct/help me in any way there. Also with Madge's mother's cancer, considering I don't know many cancer patients and also am researching a lot of that so it might be completely wrong in some places._

_This was really long. Sorry! I hope it was informative. I love you all!_

_Also - shout out to everyone actually helping me with the Spanish! You all rock!_


	11. send out the alarms i'm all alone

_i won't be happy till i'm with you_  
_home for me is where you are_

* * *

Gale's still up when Rory gets home.

He has a sleepy smile on his face and a blush that would make red roses jealous as he floats over, sinking onto the couch beside his brother. Rory straightens his shoulders and looks in his brother's direction before licking his lips and beginning what he wants to say.

"She kissed you," Gale says, smiling too. Rory's smile breaks into a grin and Gale laughs. "Look at you, stepping up in the world."

"I am in _love_," Rory tells him, sighing dramatically and lowering himself back onto the couch. "_Enamorado!_"

"You are _fifteen_," Gale corrects with a chuckle. Rory swings his arms over his face, trying to his hid unrelenting smile. "I'm glad you had fun."

"_Mucha_," Rory nods vehemently before looking at Gale again, dropping his arm back down. "Sorry I wasn't here tonight," the younger says. Most Saturday nights when Gale comes home from school they hang out a bit more, usually go to the diner in town and get milkshakes and catch up. The dance threw them off a bit.

"It's alright," Gale shrugs. He knew how important the dance was to Rory. Besides, Gale got to read a bedtime story to Posy and play videogames with Vick. It wasn't a loss in the least, he love spending time with his siblings.

"You going back tomorrow?" Rory asks, and Gale nods. "What time?"

"Around noon," Gale answers

His brother furrows his eyebrows. "That's early, you usually stay for dinner."

"I'm giving a… friend a ride home. She has to be back earlier because she has some work to do." Rory blinks a few times before a slick smile slides onto his face. "None of that," Gale laughs, waving his hand in Rory's direction. But the younger already has it in his head, he can tell by the way his eyes are lighting up. He pushes himself to his palms, propping himself up so he can look at Gale. "_Basta_," Gale laughs again. Stop it! Why do brothers have to be so good at reading each other?

"Are _you_ in love?" Rory teases.

"Hardly," Gale laughs again. But thinking about Madge _does_ make him feel warm. "Maybe someday."

"Yeah," Rory nods. "Keep me updated?" Gale nods, too, and then Rory sits up all the way. "Got any pictures?" Gale chuckles and digs into his pocket for his phone, pulling it out and opening Madge's Instagram account. He hands the phone in his brother direction and Rory's eyebrows shoot to his forehead. "Holy shit!" he laughs, but clamps his mouth shut at the warning look Gale gives him. "Why didn't you tell me about her?"

"Well it hasn't really gone anywhere," Gale admits, rubbing his face. And he hasn't been home in a long time to take him out for milkshakes.

"_Madge_," Rory tests her name, reading from her bio box. "Isn't that a grandma's name?"

"Does she look like a grandma to you?"

Rory snorts, sliding his finger to look through her photos. "Absolutely not." He hands the phone back and smiles. "_Definitely_ keep me updated."

* * *

"I don't know, Madgey," her father glances down the paper, his eyes squinting at the tiny print. "I think you would succeed at _all_ of this." Madge groans and drops her elbows on the table, and then her head into her hands. Her parents are supposed to _help her_ pick her major, not be supportive of _everything_. They spent a chunk of Saturday afternoon narrowing the list down

Family and Human Services. Education. Women's and Gender Studies. Nursing.

"I don't think you should do nursing," her mother murmurs, picking up a pen to cross it from the list. Madge looks at her, waiting for an explanation, but Mrs. Undersee shrugs. "You hate hospitals. You always have."

"I know," Madge frowns, "but with—"

"With everything going on with me you feel a need to balance out the world, somehow," Mrs. Undersee shakes her head. "Your heart isn't in it, not like it would be elsewhere. I know you would do great, but you'd feel _obliged_ to do so."

Madge lets out a deep breath before dipping her head. Okay. The list is down to three.

Her phone buzzes and she lifts it up.

_**From Gale – 12:23 PM  
Should be there in 10**_

"Listen," Madge sets her phone down and looks back at the list. "This is _urgent_!"

"You'd get too attached in family and human services," her father pipes up, adjusting his glasses. Madge turns her gaze to him and again, waits for an explanation. "I've seen some tough cases. The ones with children, or women, or any, really, Madgey," Mr. Undersee shakes his head. "Again, I think you would do excellent at it, but your heart would hurt so much, Sweetheart."

Madge bites down on her bottom lip and pulls the list toward her. She thinks about this for a moment, all of the SVU she's watched, and reluctantly agrees with her father. She's sure there are options that wouldn't get her involved in cases like that, but to be working _with _families and children would be something she'd want.

"I've always seen you as a teacher," her mother admits.

Mr. Undersee smiles and nods, "Me too."

"A music teacher," Mrs. Undersee chimes. Madge stares down at the paper and finds herself nodding. "For middle school. Or elementary. Whichever."

Madge suddenly feels her father's hand on her shoulder and leans onto his arm. "I know you feel strongly about women and gender studies too," he says softly. "Maybe you can minor in it." Madge turns her head to look at him, unsure how the two programs would relate. "You don't have to put everything you love into your work. You love kids, and music. That could be your work. And then you could help run a charity or something relating to gender studies."

"You think I could?"

"Of course I do," her father nods. Mrs. Undersee reaches over and rests her hand atop Madge's, squeezing once. "You can do whatever you set your mind to."

Madge blinks a few times before laughing, wiggling out of both of her parent's grips. "This is like a freaking Hallmark movie," she says. She stands in the doorway and lets her eyes drift between the two. "But you're both right. I think I'll…" it feels weird to say it out loud. "I think I'll officially declare once I get to Capitol."

* * *

Both her father and mother are in the doorway when Gale pulls up. "Good lord, Margaret," her mother exhales, her eyes trained on Gale as he parks. Madge shoots her a look and Mrs. Undersee laughs before hugging her tightly. "He is _hot_!"

"_Mom shut up_," Madge groans. Her father isn't as happy, she can tell by the way he shuffles awkwardly and crosses his arms over his chest with a frown. "I love you!" she tells them, giving them both hugs before starting to Gale's Jeep. She opens the back door and throws her bag in before climbing into the passenger seat. "Hey!"

"Hey," Gale echoes. He and Madge both wave to her parents on the front steps as he shifts his car into drive. "Should I have gotten out and said hello?"

"No, no," Madge blurts, shaking her head. "Please drive." Gale cocks a questionable eyebrow at her but says nothing, pressing his foot down on the gas pedal and pulling from her driveway. As they start on their trip she relaxes in her seat. "Did your brother have fun? Rory, right? At the dance?"

"Yeah," Gale nods, keeping his eyes on the road and trying to keep his face neutral. The fact that she remembers his brother's name really isn't _that _big of a deal, but it still makes him feel really nice. "He had fun. He went with Katniss's sister."

"Oh, I knew that!" Katniss sent her pictures at some point last night. They're both quiet for a bit. "I wonder how _their_ weekend went," Madge smirks.

Gale laughs, "I think we both know how their weekend went, Undersee." She laughs too and Gale merges onto the highway, almost hitting another car. Gale suddenly slams on the breaks, their laughter dissipating as Gale blurts, "_Hijo de puta. Besa mi culo, pendejo!" _Madge turns to him, her eyebrows high on her forehead. "Ah," Gale switches lanes, rubbing his forehead. "_Lo siento_, sorry," he shakes his head. Madge blinks a few times, a laugh bubbling out of her. _"What_?" he demands.

"Nothing!" she smiles. "I just, I didn't know you spoke Spanish?"

Gale looks at her, then at the road, then back to her. "Weekend home always brings it back," he murmurs. "Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Madge asks, her smile still wide. "I _wish_ I was bilingual. Why don't you speak it at school? Katniss does."

"Uh," Gale focuses back on the road. "Uh…" he wrinkles his nose. "I do, sometimes. When I'm, uh, angry. Or really, really drunk." Madge laughs again and Gale takes a deep breath. "I got teased a lot as a kid," he said. Gale risks a glance in her direction, finding her smile gone. "I didn't… we didn't have a lot of money growing up. Poorer neighborhood, you know? So when I was in class and could speak Spanish _and _English, I don't know. The other kids didn't like it."

"That's stupid," she frowns. He lifts his shoulders, once again focusing on the road. "I mean, you can around me, if you want? I took French in high school so I wouldn't be able to understand anything you're saying, but if it's… part of you…"

"It's just Spanish," Gale murmurs. Madge nudges him across the cup holder and he bites back his smile. "Okay, Undersee." And for some reason, he can't help feeling relieved. "Thanks."

* * *

Gale drops Madge off at her dorm and she's there alone for a while before Katniss returns. She looks lighter, happier, just as she should for someone who spent an entire weekend having sex with her boyfriend.

"Did he like his present?" Madge asks.

"Which one?"

Madge laughs, "The lingerie?"

Katniss turns beet red before nodding and turning around to busy herself with unpacking. The fancy underwear was Madge's idea, hinted to her by Peeta repeatedly because honestly he was a now 20 year old with needs and he knew Katniss was shy on the subject of sex. Their sex life was great, apparently, but sometimes it took a little bit of planning to get it right. It had to have been better than Madge's, who hasn't hooked up with anyone since freshman year. She'd gotten close a few times with Gale but those always ended before they began, which was honestly probably for the best.

"I got him a new sketchbook too. He filled his last one a few weeks ago and hasn't had time to get another."

"That's great, Katniss." She'd wanted to get him something he could actually _use. _They're both quiet for a bit before Madge says, "I picked a major."

"Oh?" Katniss spins back around, a smile gracing her face. "Which?"

"Early childhood education with a focus in music." Katniss smile widens. "I declared online this afternoon."

"That's so great! I mean, I don't really like kids, but you do!" Madge laughs and nods, chewing on her bottom lip. "I know you've been stressing out about it."

Madge lifts her shoulders, "It feels really nice to just have it down, you know?" Katniss has known she's wanted to be an environmental studies major ever since she was young, but Madge had always struggled. The relief that comes with having something by her name that doesn't say _undecided_ makes her happy.

* * *

Madge is trying to study for a psychology test when she finally gives up, realizing there's no way in hell she's going to be able to focus. _Ten minute break_, she tells herself. But what is there to do in ten minutes? Katniss is napping, she had a class at 9AM this morning and didn't get to bed until late, so Madge has to stay quiet.

She pulls out her phone and sends a text, knowing why she can't study and needing to acknowledge it.

_From Madge – 12:12 PM  
I need to talk to you and you can't judge me._

The response it immediate.

_**From Peeta – 12:12 PM  
im in class but whats up? u ok?**_

_From Madge – 12:12 PM  
I think I like Gale._

_From Madge – 12:12 PM  
Okay, I know I like Gale. A lot._

_**From Peeta – 12:13 PM  
i already knew tht…**_

_**From Peeta – 12:13 PM  
but ur acknowledging it now? thts gr8!**_

Madge groans, Peeta and his dumb texting making her more frustrated than she was before.

_From Madge – 12:13 PM  
When's your class out? Lunch?_

_**From Peeta – 12:14 PM  
ill meet u at dining hall 1240**_

* * *

Peeta's waiting on a bench outside when Madge gets there. He's playing some stupid game on his phone and doesn't even look up as she approaches. "Hold on," he says, tapping his screen frantically. "I'm almost—dammit!" He drops his phone with a frown, the losing sound of _Flappy Bird_ coming from his speaker. "I almost beat my high score," he says, scowling at the screen. Madge laughs, because it's a look he's definitely picked up from Katniss. "Ready?"

"Ready," she nods. They push open the dining hall doors and hand their cards to the man at the entrance to get scanned, spending their meals. Madge prefers the food court where they have options from _real _restaurants, even if it's mostly fast food. Eating campus food too much upsets her stomach. With so many rich donors to Capitol Madge would expect their dining options to be less crummy. "Alright," Madge starts as they grab trays. "You can't laugh at me."

"I never laugh at you," Peeta responds, his lips already curling upwards into a pre-laugh smile.

"Peeta, he Snapchatted me today, and he was wearing plaid. _Plaid_!" It should be completely illegal for Gale Hawthorne to wear plaid because it looks too damn good on him. And God, the fact that he can speak Spanish fluently makes her absolutely dizzy. "What do I do?"

"What do you do?" Peeta echoes. He drops his tray on a counter and grabs a plate before scooping himself a large amount of mac and cheese. "Uhh, tell him?"

"I can't do _that,_" Madge frowns, _also_ scooping herself a large amount of mac and cheese. She looks over her shoulder at the masses of people and wonders if any of them know Gale. "Let's talk when we sit down." They make their way through the stations getting different food from each place before settling in a booth. Peeta dives into his meal without waiting for Madge to say anything. "Peeta this is a serious problem."

"Oh no," he forces out through a mouthful, and then swallows. "Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome is wearing plaid, it's the end of the world." Madge groans, pressing her hands to her eyes. "You've known you've liked him."

"Okay, but that was different because before he was an ass and only wanted to make out with me when we were drunk." Peeta smirks, taking another forkful of pasta. "That's not funny! He's… he's different now."

Peeta shrugs as Madge starts for her salad. "Yeah, that's true."

"It sounds lame, but I really enjoy being friends with him." There's something about how Gale carries himself that Madge doesn't have in Katniss or Delly or Peeta. And yes, he's nice to look at, but he's something else too. Genuine. Attentive. It's easy with him, somehow. "And if I'm all of a sudden like, hey, I think you're cute let's go on a date, that might like, really mess things up."

"Or it could make things really _great_," Peeta chimes. "Madge if you're not going to ask him out, I'm not sure what you want from me. It's not like I can ask him out _for _you."

"I don't know," she admits. Maybe she just needs someone to talk to about it. Because she can't tell Katniss, obviously, and Delly is _definitely_ a no-go on that front. "It's just," Madge is still pushing her fork around her salad. "What if I'm only on like, the surface level? And I don't actually like Gale? We're only, just sort of friends, you know?" Peeta nods, switching from his pasta over to his omelet. "Like, beginner infatuation stuff."

"I mean, I guess?" Peeta shrugs and reaches for his cup, taking a big gulp of water. "Wait it out, then? Until you're sure." His shoulders lift another time. "That's all you can really do at this point, Madge unless you're willing to make a move. I don't know what you want me to tell you."

She stabs her salad with her fork. "I guess you're right."

* * *

With midterms only days away everyone is retreating into themselves to study. Madge makes her way to the library almost daily, saying she needs a studious atmosphere to get any work done. Delly comes along as well admitting she doesn't actually get any work done when she goes to Thom's – as if that was a shock to anyone. They sit in oversized chairs as Madge frantically works on her English paper, hardly thinking about anything other than correct grammar.

"Madge," Delly whispers in a harsh tone. "Your phone has gone off like six times."

Madge holds up her hand and Delly tosses it to her. But with only one hand in the air and the other holding her laptop in place, her phone makes a loud noise as it clatters onto her computer keyboard. Madge makes a face and looks around the room, hoping she hasn't disturbed anyone.

_**From Gale – 2:34 PM  
What are you doing tonight? We should watch lost**_

_**From Gale – 2:38 PM  
Unless youre busy**_

_**From Gale – 2:43 PM  
But even if youre busy you should take a break**_

_From Madge – 2:44 PM  
Midterms are coming up. I have to study. Sorry!_

Madge places her phone in the side of the couch and returns to working on her paper, clicking through her sources in the multiple tabs she has opens searching for that _one_ statistic she found hours before but can't seem to find again.

_**From Gale – 2:44 PM  
Which is why I suggested a break… cmon Undersee! Im dying here!**_

_From Madge – 2:45 PM  
You probably have midterms too, Gale. You should study!_

_**From Gale – 2:45 PM  
Honestly fuck that Id rather watch lost**_

Madge sighs dramatically but can't help smiling, just a little.

_From Madge – 2:45 PM  
Your good looks aren't going to get you through college. Please study for your own benefit._

A grin blooms on his face at her message. _I definitely am good looking_, he agrees to himself. But before Gale can respond something witty about how he doesn't need his good looks to get him through because his smarts are just as effective, he sees she's typing again and discards his message.

_From Madge – 2:45 PM  
The library promotes good study habits. Just saying._

Across campus Gale throws his head back in a laugh. He's been studying all afternoon and is starting to get a headache, but he has a feeling Madge won't necessarily believe that. He sends a response saying _maybe_ he'll make the hike to the library if she agrees to an episode of Lost because _please we're in college my brain is going to explode_. She responds with another maybe.

Wondering when he's literally gone insane that he's going to trek to the library in this brisk October air just so he can have an hour with Madge to watch a show that sometimes doesn't even make sense to him half the time, he starts shoveling his things into his backpack. Thankfully Gale knows she really _is_ at the library because that's where her Snapchats (the few she sends) have been coming from.

On the walk to the library he pulls out his phone, dialing his dad's number. His father answers on the third ring.

"Gale!" he cheers. "Hadn't expected to hear from you today."

"Hey, dad," Gale responds. "Listen, I wanted to tell you that I went to the bursar's office yesterday to sort everything out." Asher is silent on the other end. "The loans processed. School's paid for this year."

There's an exhale of relief on the other end, "_Gracias a Dios_, Gale, that's great." Hazelle might be very against loans, but Asher sees the need in them sometimes. And they _really_ needed it this time. "You're still working at that office, right?"

"Yeah. The money will go straight into savings to pay off the loans." The less debt he leaves school with the better. "It's pretty nice pay. Not going to pay off everything at once but it'll definitely help."

"That's really great," Asher says. "One more year of school and then you're in the clear."

"Graduate school," Gale murmurs.

"Ah. _Carajo_. Forgot about that." Gale laughs at his father. "Well, let's just work on your first degree or bachelors or whatever it is, and then we'll think about graduate school?"

"Got it." Gale looks off in the distance at the library which is so tall he can see from nearly halfway across campus. "I know Ma's upset. That I had to take out loans."

Asher sighs again, "She'll be alright. Your mother just doesn't like the idea of you being in debt for the rest of your life."

"Not the rest of it," Gale says. "Just, like, half of it." His father snorts, and Gale smiles. "Hey, I got to go, just wanted to let you know. You can… deliver the news to Ma however you feel necessary."

"I'll take care of it. Call again soon, kid. Love you."

"Love you," Gale echoes before hanging up and sliding his phone back into his pocket. He reaches the library and lets out a deep breath. He can't believe he's actually going to the library just to hang out with Madge. They're not even _dating_ yet. But the yet is why he's going…

* * *

When Gale shows up in Madge and Delly's study area, Madge nearly chokes on the pen cap she has in her mouth. It took him a bit to find where they were but finally he found them. He sinks into a nearby seat wordlessly with a smirk that is making her chest feel hot. Delly grins and says hello before getting back to work, and then Gale pulls his textbooks out of his bag.

"It's so nice that you joined us," Delly cheers, ignoring her books and looking up at Gale. "I was thinking about going to your dorm and surprising Thom. He's been pretty focused lately with that engineering project he's working on."

"Yeah, he was grabbing food with Bristel last I checked," Gale answers. Delly's eyes widen and she nods, her smile slowly fading. "He's probably back by now if you're still thinking about going over though," Gale adds quickly.

"No, he just didn't tell me," Delly says, looking back down at her books. "I mean, not that he has to tell me whenever he's getting food with someone," she murmurs to herself. A frown on Delly's face _always_ looks out of place. Especially now. "Anyway," she forces her face to brighten again. "Back to work."

As Delly re-busies herself with her studies Gale gets comfy in his seat. He feels slightly bad about mentioning Bristel, but that isn't his problem to be had. If anyone's it's Thom who will feel like a dick if Delly brings it up, because though sometimes overbearing, Delly's frowns make everyone feel bad.

"What are you doing here?" Madge asks quietly. He lifts his eyes from his books over to her. What a greeting, right?

Gale cocks an eyebrow, "Studying. Obviously." He opens his textbook and then fishes around in his backpack for a highlighter. Madge knows her face is red so she starts back to work on her paper immediately. She knows Gale's appearance means she's going to cave and watch Lost with him, and honestly he's right – she could use a break.

For the next half hour or so Madge shifts between chugging out paragraphs and stealing glances at Gale. He looks so damn cute with the cap of his highlighter in his mouth and his eyebrows furrowed together as he marks something that _must_ be important. Every now and then their eyes will meet and that stupid smirk of his returns, causing her to feel faint.

Around 4 Delly collects her things, saying she has somewhere to be, leaving Gale and Madge alone in their area. He looks up from his work and caps his highlighter.

"Have we earned a break yet?" he asks.

Madge huffs. "You haven't even been here an hour."

"I've been studying since last Monday, Undersee," Gale responds, his eyebrows high. "I'm sure you have, too." He looks at her laptop. "When's your paper due?"

"Next week."

"Next _week_. Week!" He shakes his head exasperatedly and smiles at her. "You deserve a break and I demand you take it now." Gale closes his textbook and it's a little louder than anticipated, causing him to wince and whisper to those around, "Sorry." He strides the few feet between them and places his hand on the other side of the screen, slowly closing it. "Save your work," he's saying. "Before the screen goes black."

"Ack—Gale!" Madge fumbles with the keys. _Ctrl+S_. "There!" She moves her hands quickly out of the way and Gale presses the laptop all the way shut. "You're insufferable," she tells him.

"I'm _hungry_," he corrects. "And you're exhausted. Let's get something to eat."

* * *

_A/N: Happy New Years! Sorry it's taken me so long, mostly I've been lazy during break. Sorry friends. Hope you like the chapter and are still here to read it! Love you guys!_

_Edit: Hello! I've gone back and added a little bit of Spanish to some previous chapters as to ease into all the Spanish that's currently happening. As stated in this chapter Gale doesn't really like to speak around people, and Katniss was the same way, so that's why it's limited in earlier chapters now! But now that Madge has said she's alright with it, maybe Gale will speak it a little more often... heh._


	12. where do we go from here?

_timber, timber, we're falling down  
let the forest hear our sound_

* * *

Somehow everyone manages to survive midterms. Madge gets her paper done, even though Gale _insists_ they watch a large amount of Lost (and she agrees because watching a TV show about a group of people stuck on an island with Gale Hawthorne is way better than statistics), and Gale passes all of his tests (Madge gets him to study during their Lost breaks, she's a great quizzer and knows exactly what to ask) though not necessarily with As but enough to keep his GPA up. Katniss returns to a normal sleep schedule (she crams, she crams, and she crams until Madge wakes up at three in the morning and the light is still on because Katniss doesn't sleep) and Peeta tried out 8 different flavors of coffee (three of them were decaf and he was so exhausted didn't even realize it).

So with midterms in the past and finals in the foreseeable future, everyone wants a break from school.

"Come to the rock wall with me," Gale insists. Madge frowns at him. He's sitting at her desk looking at her with wide gray eyes and practically pouting. She's been complaining about her back lately, saying she's still really stressed even though midterms are over. She doesn't mean for it to be annoying, and she doesn't think Gale's really listening when she murmurs under her breath, but eventually he brings it up. "I swear to you it's the biggest stress reliever there is. And you feel incredible once it's done. Honestly."

"Can't I just go to the health center or something? Get a free massage?"

"Massages cost 40 bucks for half an hour," Peeta chimes from Katniss's bed. He's scrolling through Instagram and waiting for Katniss to get out of the shower so they can go to some art exhibit downtown. It's date night, of course, and Peeta's turn to pick. Katniss wasn't thrilled but they agreed it was better than staying in. Madge scowls at him. "I looked into it last spring when finals came around. It wasn't even worth it."

Gale cocks an eyebrow, "You mean you actually went?"

"Yeah, my old RA told me they were free too."

"Ugh," Madge frowns. "I'm not going to the rock wall." Gale picks up an empty water bottle from Madge's desk and tosses it at her, she deflects it at the last second. "I'm not fit enough to do that!" she protests. "You can't make me."

"It's _fun_," Gale frowns.

"It is," Peeta agrees. "I've gone a few times with Katniss." He lowers his phone to look at Madge and his eyes are playful. "You should go, Madge. At least once. I mean we _do_ pay for it. Included in the tuition." She narrows her eyes in Peeta's direction and his smile widens. He's doing this on purpose.

"What if I fall?" she asks, directing her question to Gale.

"I'll catch you," he says. Madge lifts an eyebrow and he laughs. "With the rope. I'm certified to belay. I just pull the rope into the lock and you're fine." He holds out his palms to her, "I'm very good with my hands."

Peeta snorts, "Oh, are you?"

And then Gale smirks, "In more than one way."

Madge throws her head back in a groan. "Seriously?" she asks. Of course they'll make a sex joke any chance they can get.

"C'mon, Undersee," Gale laughs. "Live a little. Please?"

The door opens and Katniss walks in, toweling her hair dry. Her clothes are damp, she changed in the bathroom before coming in, but otherwise she's clean. "What are we trying to get Madge to do?" she asks.

"Rock climb," Peeta answers.

Katniss throws her head back in a laugh and hangs her towel on the hook on the back of the door. "Good luck. Madge wouldn't go if you paid her." Madge narrows her eyes in Katniss's direction, but the latter shrugs. "What? Am I wrong?"

"Yes," Madge says, nodding sharply. It's one thing to say no when offered, but to be _challenged _is completely different. Katniss doesn't think Madge can do it? Then she'll prove her wrong. "I'll go," she turns to Gale.

His eyes light up. "Yeah? When?"

"Tonight."

* * *

Only after Katniss and Peeta leave do Gale and Madge make it to the gym. He has to run back to his dorm to change and tells her to meet him there. And she _can't_ back down, not now. She's in too deep. She stands awkwardly in her black running leggings and paces outside the gym, waiting for Gale to arrive. The windows of the gym allow her to see into the rock wall. It's so _high_.

"Madge!" Gale calls. She spins around and finds him walking toward her, a gym bag slung over his shoulder. He grins, "Ready?" She wrinkles her nose at him and he laughs, throwing his arm over his shoulder. "It's going to be great."

She gets a whiff of his deodorant and is relieved he doesn't smell like a middle school gym locker. Whatever he's using is great. Ten out of ten. Madge is a fan. His shirt's tight too, which is a plus. If anything she'll get to spend a fraction of tonight staring at Gale's butt. There are worse ways to spend an evening.

After getting their student IDs swiped at the entrance Gale leads the way to the rock climbing section. Madge looks up onto the upper level where the treadmills are, overlooking the rock wall that provides her with such a wonderful view of the climbers, and wonders if Gale would notice if she slipped away. She's always enjoyed watching the climbers, she never anticipated _being _one.

"Here," Gale's hand is suddenly on the small of her back. The thoughts of sneaking away are gone with the warmth of his touch. "You fill out the insurance form while I get set up. Okay? We'll start you off with an easy one."

Madge glances up at the wall. "Easy. Right. Wait, insurance form?"

"So you can't sue the school if you die," he teases, nudging her toward the desk. "It was a joke," Gale adds after seeing the look of panic on her face. "Sign the papers."

Madge squares her shoulders and goes to the desk, telling them that this is her first time here. "Oh, you need the paperwork," the boy by the computer says. He dips under the desk and pulls out a clipboard, sliding it in her direction. "Here." He offers Madge a bright smile and leans forward on the desk. "You decide to come out all on your own? I could tie into you if you want. Be your belay."

"No," she shakes her head. She can't even go to the gym without being hit on. Madge is trying hard not to roll her eyes. "I came with someone." She glances over her shoulder at Gale who's wiggling into a harness. She waves the clipboard in the boy's direction before walking away, "Thanks."

Madge stalks over to the waiting area where there is an arrangement of couches, and lowers herself down to begin the form. It's easy questions and takes her less than five minutes, and by then Gale's joined her.

"I can hand it in," he says, eyeing the boy at the desk with a frown. "You go check out shoes and a harness." Madge thanks him and starts off to get her supplies. She grabs a pair of shoes and a harness, and after watching Gale put his on she easily figures out how to put it on herself. It's like pants, only instead of legs there are just loops. She wiggles too and Gale smirks when he catches up to her. "It has to be really tight," Gale says, looking at her harness. Madge tugs on the straps as hard as she can but her forearms are weak and there's still a bit of slack. "Can I…?"

"Yes," she nods. She looks back up at the wall. "If it's loose, will I die?"

"The chances are slim," Gale tells her. "But better to be safe than sorry." Madge nods and jerks in surprise as he pulls the straps as tight as he can. First the one around her hip, then the two around her thighs. "That was a joke too, Madge," he says softly. She tears her eyes from the wall and looks at him. "Don't be nervous."

"Telling me not to be nervous isn't going to make me less nervous," she says. Gale double checks her shoes to make sure they won't come unknotted halfway up the wall. "So how do I do this?" she finally asks, needing some strict advice. God, she's going to make an absolute fool of herself doing this. Why did she ever agree? Stupid Katniss, this is all her fault.

"Here," he walks over to an open wall and shows her the rocks. "Each hold is labeled with a different color," Gale tells her. "This one," he taps the wall, a piece of neon green tape extending from the hold, "is the easiest. If you want to follow a path then stick to this one. So you would only reach for the holds that have green tape."

Madge nods, looking up at the wall and trying to find the labeled ones. "Okay. And if I don't want to stick to a path?"

"You can definitely stick to a path," he tells her.

"But if I don't _want_ to."

"Rainbow it. But I think you—"

"Rainbow it?"

"Yeah," Gale nods. "Grab whatever hold is closest. Doesn't matter the tag color." Madge thinks she'll do that on the first try to see if she can get all the way up. If she climbs a second time then maybe she'll stick to a path. "The key to rock climbing is to use your legs. You want to walk up the wall, not lift yourself. You don't want to pull yourself up. You literally just step. Like stairs."

"Step. Okay. Got it." Madge bounces on her toes. As Gale talks to her he's tying into the clip and harness, not needing to pay attention because it's muscle memory at this point. "And if I slip…"

"This here," he shows her, "is the belay device. I pull the rope through every time you move up and it takes out the slack. So if you fall, you're not going to hit the ground. I'll catch you. You'll just be hanging there."

"You just hold onto the rope? Doesn't that hurt?"

He smiles, "No. I pull the rope down like this." Gale demonstrates, just moving the rope down against the device. "It'll lock the rope in place." His smile morphs into a grin. "I could technically just hold you up there forever."

"Yeah. That sounds fun," she mutters. "Okay. Walk up the wall. Don't try to pull myself up. Don't fall."

"Keep your hips as close to the wall as you can," Gale adds. He reaches forward and tugs Madge toward him by her harness loop and she jumps. "I've got to tie you in, Undersee," he laughs. But he's awfully close and she can smell his deodorant again, which is good because that means it's working, but it's distracting and she can't really afford to be distracted at this point. His hands work quickly, and Madge is mesmerized. "This knot," he tells her, "can't come undone while you're climbing. It's impossible."

"I'm sure it's not _impossible_," she tries.

"It's pretty damn hard," Gale says. It forms an eight. "The knot will get tighter as you climb. The only way it would come undone is if the rope breaks. And that's not going to happen."

"Reassuring."

"Madge," he laughs. "You're going to be fine. I've done this hundreds of times. With Thom, who's a lot heavier than you." Still, maybe Madge is developing a sudden fear of heights. She glances back up at the wall. "Think about how you'll feel once you reach the top."

"Probably really good."

"Definitely really good," Gale affirms. He nudges her toward the wall. "Trust yourself. You can do it."

"Okay." She looks at the nearby holds. "I just go? I just start? Are you ready?"

"I'm ready," he laughs, pulling the slack out of the rope.

"Isn't there something I have to say? Like, belay on? Or something?"

"Climb the damn wall, Undersee!"

"Okay, okay." Her hands reach for the closest holds and then she starts with her feet. Tiny steps. She lifts herself up to the closest one, pulling with her arms. Her feet find the next place. Her hands are sweating. Madge struggles for her next hold, it's a little high and out of reach. She has plenty of places she could step but her heart is racing a thousand miles an hour and she isn't thinking straight. "I can't believe I got myself into this," she murmurs to herself. How high is she now? Two feet? Five?

She doesn't realize she's already halfway up the wall. Nerves can do that to a person.

"You're almost there!" she hears Gale call.

She makes the mistake of looking down. Madge pulls herself closer to the wall and takes a deep breath. Then she looks up. Gale's right. Just a few more steps and she can touch the carabineer. _Gale's watching you_, she thinks. _Don't fuck up. You're so close!_ With one last push she reaches the top, touching the carabineer.

"Okay!" she yells down. "I touched it!"

"Awesome! Okay, so now I need you to sit backwards!" Madge looks over her shoulder at Gale on the ground and grips the holds tighter. "Seriously, Undersee!"

"And just let go?"

"Yes!" he yells. Madge reminds herself everything Gale's told her. The rope is not going to become undone. He can hold her. He's held Thom before and Thom's not a small guy. Madge's hands are sweating anyway. "C'mon, Madge! Just let go, I've got you!" She's seen it done a hundred times before, people being lowered down the wall with their legs straight against the rocks. And she trusts Gale. She really trusts him. So she lets go. She leans backwards and keeps her feet flat against the wall, and then slowly she's lowered down to the ground. Before she knows it she's on the mat below her, lying down and staring up at the ceiling, heaving for air. Gale grins, standing over her. "You okay?"

"Body hurts," she says. "Exhausting."

"Here," he laughs, dropping down to her. He bends the knot he tied on itself to loosen it and then unties it, freeing her from the setup. "I'll get you some water, okay? Maybe just, roll out of the way. I think someone wants to tie in here." Madge groans and pushes herself up on her palms – her forearms are _killing_ her – and then scoots out of the way. Gale returns with his water bottle and she drinks greedily. She looks back up at the wall and shudders. "You did great," he tells her. "Especially for your first time."

"It wasn't so bad," she tells him, but there's a twinkle in his eye that tells her Gale knows she's lying.

"You've got a lot to work on, but yeah, it wasn't so bad." A lot to work on? She cocks an eyebrow. "You used your arms practically the whole time," Gale says. "Your forearms are going to be sore for days." Madge frowns and looks down at her arms. "It's a beginner's mistake, it's alright. But try and remember for next time." Gale presses his palms together in front of him, almost like he's praying. "Do this," he says. "It'll stretch them out." Madge lowers the water bottle and moves her hands to do what he'd done, wincing. "Yeah, it's going to hurt a little."

"But like, a good hurt," she tells him.

He grins. "Told ya." Gale looks toward the desk. "You want to climb again now or wait a little? Or are you done?"

"I can go again in a bit, I think," Madge says. She wants to try following a path instead of rainbow-ing it. And she wants to use her legs. Show Gale that she's really taking his suggestions to heart.

"You mind if I climb?"

Madge sits quietly for a moment before saying, "I don't know how to do the rope thing."

Another smile blossoms on his face and leaves her breathless. "Obviously," Gale laughs. "Johanna can do it." Madge looks toward the desk where Johanna Mason has suddenly arrived, wearing a bright red CU shirt to signify she works here and is ready to help. She must've shown up when Madge was on the wall. "I'm gonna grab her before someone else does."

Gale saunters away to Johanna and Madge lifts his water bottle for another drink. Gale talks to her for a few seconds before they walk in Madge's direction.

"Hey Blondie," Johanna smirks.

"Johanna," Madge nods back. They start tying into the closest setup without even thinking, their fingers flying over the rope. "How long have you worked here?" Madge asks.

"Since Sophomore year. Fall. They don't hire freshmen but I've been climbing since I was a kid." Johanna turns to Gale who's tied his own knot. "You're ready to go, Captain."

"Aye, aye," he frowns, starting up the wall.

Madge presses herself up off of the ground and her legs wobble under her. Gale's quick up the wall until about halfway when he can't figure out where to go. He looks up and down the wall, clearly getting frustrated, when Johanna tightens her hold on the rope she's been feeding through.

"Left knee!" she yells up.

Gale looks down, sees what she's talking about, and moves accordingly. "He's fast," Madge says.

"Eh, he's trying to show off." Madge looks toward Johanna who's smirking, her eyes on Gale up the wall. "He's not doing a particularly difficult path, I've seen him do harder. He just wants to make sure he can get to the top."

Madge feels her cheeks burning at the implication, that he's doing it to look good for her. Which can't be true. Gale's a good rock climber and is just warming up. And with his arm and back muscles flexing with every move he doesn't really _need _to show off, he looks just fine.

So she changes the subject. "Why do you all call him Captain?" Madge asks.

Johanna snorts, "You don't know the Captain story?" Madge shakes her head and Johanna throws her head back in a laugh. "God, Gale got so drunk this one time that he," another snicker, and then a pause. "By your elbow!" she yells. "He was so drunk that he started acting like he was the captain of a pirate ship. He had grown out his beard at that point so we kept calling him Captain Blackbeard but that's _way_ too long so just Captain stuck. He doesn't remember a thing but Thom got some good videos. Mostly we just tease him."

"I'm sure he loves it," Madge laughs, looking up at Gale. Damn, his butt looks good too.

"Absolutely not. Sometimes if we get him to drink enough he reverts back into Captain. It's gold." Johanna continuously feeds the rope through the belay device and watches Gale. "That reminds me. My roommate's psycho but she's throwing this Halloween party, you guys should come. It'll be fun."

Madge feels hot again. "Oh, Gale and I aren't—we're just friends."

"O_kay_," Johanna snickers, "but you guys should still come." Gale would bring Thom, who would bring Delly. Katniss and Peeta would probably come too. Bristel too, probably, and Finnick. It would be fun, Madge thinks. Gale reaches the top of the wall and then sits back, allowing Johanna to lower him to the ground. "Hey, Cap, wanna go to a party?"

"Depends on whose party it is," he says as his feet touch the ground. Gale squats and then leaps up, loving the feel in his legs.

"Cashmere. Halloween."

"Cashmere? Are you fucking kidding?" Johanna smirks as though she knows something Madge doesn't. "I don't know, Jo."

"It'll be _fun_," Johanna tells him. "Everyone'll come. And I make some wicked jungle juice, you know that." He looks in Madge's direction, almost uneasily. "Blondie already got an invite," Johanna tells him. "She's in."

"Oh yeah?" Gale cocks an eyebrow. Madge doesn't remember agreeing, but Johanna's not wrong. She'll gladly go. It's been a few months since she's gone to a party and she's always liked dressing up for Halloween. "Fine, then." He tugs on Madge's harness until she's close to him. His forehead is glistening with sweat and his eyes are dark. She blinks as hard as she can to stop herself from being entranced. "You ready for your next climb?" he asks, effectively changing the subject.

"Sure," Madge nods.

"I'll belay you," Johanna says. "I'm already hooked in." Gale starts tying the knots to keep Madge safe but she bites her tongue from saying she'd rather be hooked into Gale. Not that she doesn't trust Johanna, she _does_ work here after all, but she knows Gale better and trusts him _more_. Gale double checks her straps and her shoes and Johanna leans back, pulling the rope taut and forcing Madge's pelvic up in the air. "Whenever you're ready."

Madge starts a little slower this time, wanting to follow a path. The 5.4+ is the easiest, she knows because it's the one Gale showed her on the other wall earlier, so she sticks to that.

When Madge is out of earshot Johanna turns to Gale, "You sure know how to pick 'em, Hawthorne."

"Fuck off, Jo. What's that even _mean_?"

"You just always go for the girls that are nothing like you. Perfect and pretty and all-around likable."

He scowls. "You don't know her like I do." He drags a hand through his hair and watches Madge slowly climbing the wall. She's trembling, something Gale's seen with a lot of first timers.

"You never bring anyone out here," she says. "_Blondie_, especially." If he has to go through the "_it's different this time I swear to God"_ speech one more time he's going to explode. "Tread carefully, is all I'm saying." He turns to look at her as she pulls the rope through her belay device.

"You made that real hard to do, inviting us to Cashmere's party," he mutters.

"So you slept with her once or twice, who cares?"

"_She_ cares," Gale grumbles. Cashmere likes to have sex. A lot of sex. And may have had a lot of sex with Gale at one point. Every now and then he'll still get the 2 am texts asking if he's awake and bored. But Cashmere was a onetime thing (over the span of about a month) and he's never going back there. "I really like her, I don't want to fuck it up."

"Who, Blondie?" Johanna tightens the rope again and realizes that Madge's struggling. "Look," she nudges him. "She's stuck."

Gale looks up at Madge who's looking up for the next hold. Something in him warms when he realizes she's following a path. "Right foot!" Gale calls up. Madge looks down and sees where he's telling her to go and quickly makes the move. "Yeah," he answers Johanna. Mostly Gale's on Cloud 9 over the fact that he managed to get her to come with him. And he currently has a great view of her butt. It's glorious. "It's a slow process."

"At least you get to stare at her ass," Johanna says, elbowing him in the side. "Don't be so obvious, Hawthorne," she laughs. He avert his gaze with a scowl. "Hey, I think she's frozen."

Gale looks back up again and Madge is holding herself tightly against the wall, not moving and not looking for any way to keep moving.

"Undersee!" he shouts. There's a quiet whine in response. "Hey, you alright?" No response. He exchanges a look with Johanna who's holding the rope in lock. "Jo's got you," he calls. "Just lean back!" She takes his request without hesitation this time, leaning backwards and allowing Johanna to lower her to the ground. When Madge lands on the mat Gale goes to her immediately and starts to untie her knot. "You okay?"

"Fine," she mutters. Johanna's untying herself from the setup as well. Gale makes a face at her and she frowns. "I'm fine. Just really sore."

"Hey, it's okay," Gale tells her. She won't look him in the eye. Her arms are on fire, her legs are aching. She couldn't make it to the top. She feels absolutely lousy. "Madge," he finally gets the knot out and stoops down to her. "You didn't reach the top, it's not the end of the world, Princess."

"I'm fine," she says again, still not looking at him and completely oblivious to the sudden pet name. He lets out a huff and stands, extending his hand to her. Madge pulls herself up on wobbly legs. She couldn't lift her leg up to the next hold and her body was already shaking at that point and she couldn't risk slipping because that would beeven _more_ embarrassing than not making it to the top. "You gonna climb again?"

"Next time," Gale tells her. He's a little upset he only got one climb in but Madge is _obviously_ upset over not reaching the top, and he doesn't want to force her to sit through another climb of his own. "If you want to come again."

"Yes, I want to come again," she mutters. "I've got to reach the top."

Gale smirks and they walk back over to the renting station to return their gear.

* * *

They start on the same path to leave but know the split is coming up for them to go to their own dorms. Madge is taking slow steps, her body protesting any sort of movement, and Gale walk slowly with her. It's getting cold considering October's almost over and the wind that blows is cold, causing Madge to shiver. Gale notices but doesn't know what to say or how to help.

"Tonight was fun," she tells him. "I hate it, but it was fun."

He laughs, shaking his head. "Well I'm sorry that you hate it, but I'm really glad you came." Madge looks over at him and finds him smiling. She's not sure she's ever going to get used to the way he looks when he's smiling, and she loves that he's been in such a good mood as of lately which leaves her surrounded with Gale-smiles. She smiles back, and he drops his gaze, taking a deep breath. "A hot shower will probably make you feel a little better."

"Thanks," Madge nods. They stand still for a second or two, just looking at one another, before Madge turns away. "I should go. You know, early classes."

"Yeah, same. Work, nice and early."

"Yeah." Again they're just looking at each other and Gale's eyes are dark. They make her feel small, but also powerful. "Goodnight," she forces out.

"Goodnight," he echoes, his voice raspy as he turns away. He's only taken a few steps when he glances over his shoulder at her, finding her looking over her own shoulder as well. Just as he's about to turn around and stride toward her, kiss her like he should've done before saying goodnight, she waves a little and turns back around and picks up her pace.

* * *

_A/N: Hi friends! Break is almost over for me which is a sad sad time. But maybe that means I'll get back into a schedule when it comes to posting. Who knows! Anyway all my love goes to Alys my lovely wonderful beta who I wouldn't be anywhere without. _

_I went back to a few chapters previous and added some Spanish to lead up to Gale's background - it was my own fault that I hadn't placed any in before and I'll take that blame! Also there's no Spanish in this chapter because as stated in the previous he's not entirely comfortable using it normally, but maybe that will change in time! Love y'all._


	13. if you know what's good for you

_i have a heart i swear i do  
but just not baby when it comes to you_

* * *

Halloween arrives faster than planned. One night Gale and Madge start season 2 of Lost and the next everyone is running around getting ready for Johanna and Cashmere's party.

Katniss is brushing her hair so she can readjust the hat on her head. She picked up an old costume from the store earlier and is going as a police officer in a very short dress, something Peeta's bound to like. ("No couple outfits," Katniss had demanded, despite Peeta's frown. "Let's just surprise each other.") Delly's going as Minnie Mouse, having sewn her own dress and picked up the mouse ears from Target. ("We have to do a couple outfit!" Delly had pled with Thom. "Please!") Madge has kept it simple, going as a modified Rosie the Riveter who is happily showing off her curves rather than keeping all buttoned up. (No partner required.)

"I mean, Rosie the Riveter is such a powerful representation of women," Madge says as reties her bandana for the thousandth time. She can't seem to get it right without looking ridiculous. "If she were around today I feel she'd be a feminist icon. Hell, she _is_ a feminist icon today."

"Madgey," Delly hovers over her and takes the bandana from her hands. "You're killing me. Let me do this."

Katniss glances over her shoulder at Madge. "Is that what you're telling yourself so you feel better about your boobs sticking out?"

"My boobs aren't _sticking out_," Madge frowns. Her boobs look _great_. The perfect amount of buttons on her shirt are undone, so a lot is still left to the imagination but leaving a wonderful view. And besides, one of the best parts of feminism is the ability to look hot for whoever you want and not feel bad about it. And Madge looks hot! "Thanks, Dell," Madge smiles up at her friend who finishes the bandana perfectly.

Katniss's phone vibrates on her desk. "Peeta says the car's ready," she tells us. "Should I say we're coming down?"

* * *

Gale's already nursing a cup of jungle juice when Madge and crew arrives. He Thom and Bristel drove separately, Bristel as the DD for them back to their place when this is all over. Thom's the one to spot their car pulling up in the parking lot, and he nudges Gale to see.

The party isn't overly crowded, which is great. Gale knows everyone here through the years at Capitol. Cashmere and Johanna know quite a few people though, so the apartment is sure to fill up soon. Gale's just glad there aren't going to be mass amounts of freshman looking for a place to get away. Those parties are the _worst_ and Johanna would _flip the fuck out_ on any of them entering. Having such a powerful and intimidating host has it's perks.

"Fuck," Gale mutters when he spots Madge climb out of the car. She doesn't show off her body often so when she does Gale is reminded of her curves and breasts and pale skin and _fucking dammit_. "Thom," he turns to the guy beside him. "You've got to keep me away from her tonight, okay?"

"First I gotta keep Cashmere away from you, now I gotta keep you away from Madge?" Thom rolls his eyes. "Why do I have to keep you away from her, huh?"

Because drunk Gale is awful at controlling himself and because drunk Gale is going to want to make out with her (because sober Gale already _does_) and because drunk Gale will ruin absolutely everything he's been working for. And yet he finds himself taking a huge swig of his drink to help with the nerves.

"Careful, Captain," Johanna enters the kitchen and eyes Gale's cup. "This juice is _loaded_ with vodka."

"Perfect," he murmurs, taking another drink.

* * *

"And what exactly are _you_ supposed to be?" Madge laughs, eyeing Gale's "costume." He's wearing a white shirt and dark pants. "Someone who forgot to dress up?"

"Oh," Gale reaches up and waves his hand over his head. "Fuck, where'd I put it." He spins around to the counter and finds what he's looking for, lifting a headband onto his head so a halo sticks up, and then Madge bursts into hysterics.

"I guess it is Halloween," she giggles, holding her hand to her mouth. "Because you are _definitely_ _not_ an angel."

"You would know, Princess," he smirks, taking another swig. Madge feels her cheeks warm and takes a swig of her own drink. Peeta and Katniss are off in the living room talking about something, Delly and Thom have disappeared despite Thom promising to help Gale, and he and Madge are alone. Johanna was right, there must be a lot of vodka in the drink because he's only finished one cup and can already feel it. "You wanna dance?" Gale asks. Just as Madge opens her mouth to respond another tall blonde makes her way into the kitchen. Her eyes find Gale and he tenses, tightening his hold on his cup. "Uh, gotta go."

He spins away from a very confused Madge and pushes his way into the crowd, leaving her and Cashmere in the kitchen. Madge stays where she is, confused and not realizing that Cashmere is pushing her way past her.

With a tired sigh Madge lifts her cup to her lips again and takes another drink, willing the alcohol to work faster. As she turns she finds Finnick entering the kitchen and a smile blossoms. "Finn!" she calls.

"Hey!" he laughs, weaving in and out. "Shit, Madge, you look hot."

"That was the plan," she mutters, and then takes yet another drink. She eyes his pirate costume. "You too," she adds with a laugh. He waggles his eyebrows and joins her by the counter. "Hey, you wanna dance?" she asks. If Gale's not going to dance with her she might as well have fun, and Finnick knows his boundaries.

"Sure," he nods, extending his hand to her. If Annie wasn't back home in Texas there would be no way for Madge to separate them, she knows that. And Finnick isn't going to grind on her unlike one of Johnna's friends, she's sure. "M'lady."

"I don't think pirates say that," she laughs, accepting his offer and following him to the living room.

* * *

Gale's eyes follow Madge as Finnick drags her out onto the dance floor, which is really just the living room where the lights have been turned out. They sway to the beat and he feels anger swelling up inside him, an uncontrollably jealousy that he has no real right to consume him. And yet, in front of him, is Cashmere.

"There're no hard feelings here, Hawthorne," she tells him, her hands latched onto his shirt. He blinks hard, looking back at Cashmere, and licks his lips. She's always been beautiful, it was what originally attracted him to her in the first place. She's tall and thin and has a sultry voice that makes his body stir. Tonight she's dressed as a cat (because of _course_ she is) with black ears on the top of her head and a long tail attached to the shortest skirt he's ever seen in his life. Her legs go on for what feels like miles and her heels help accentuate that.

He licks his lips again. "_Cash_," he squints hard, trying to force himself to focus. "I…" Gale drags his eyes up to Madge again who's so easily dancing with someone else. He swallows thickly. "I don't know."

"Just a little fun," Cashmere insists. "We'll be back before anyone even notices you're gone." His skin feels hot. It's been a few months since he's had sex and she's standing here, _incredibly _willing. "Hm?" She tips his chin with her pointer finger and Gale feels his chest tighten. _Yes_, he thinks. _Yes, absolutely yes_. "What do you say?" She's so fucking sexy Gale feels like he's going to explode just looking at her. "Just for tonight."

Again his eyes lift to Madge. Would she care? Somewhere in his alcohol filled mind he wonders if this could make her jealous, but somewhere in the rational part of his brain he knows that's a horrible idea. Cashmere's hands are still clutching his shirt and Gale lifts his cup, finishing off the rest of the Jungle Juice. His throat burns as it goes down and he _knows_ there's an insane amount of vodka in it if he can taste it even now. She smiles as if she knows what that means.

Before he realizes it his hand is around her waist and Cashmere's leading him down the hallway.

"Found you," Gale suddenly hears. Cashmere turns her head and frowns at Thom who's easing his way between the two of them, not so subtly. "Ah, what are you doing?"

"I don't think that's any of your business," Cashmere frowns. They're both adults capable of making their own decisions, and somewhere deep inside him Gale _wants_ this release.

"It's 100% my business. Gale's test results haven't come back yet and we don't want him spreading any—"

"Are you kidding me?" she steps away, her hands up in the air as though she's been burned. "You've got an STD and you weren't even going to tell me?"

"Ah—I don't," Gale stutters for words. _Does_ he have an STD? He doesn't remember taking any tests, his head is swimming.

"_God_, Gale," Cashmere rubs at her face and steps away. "Just forget it. Marvel's probably around here somewhere."

Cashmere's gone before anyone can say anything else. Gale sinks backwards against the wall, the floor beginning to shift below him. He looks at Thom who's frowning, nursing his own drink. "I don't have an STD?" Gale says, still confused from the alcohol clouding his mind. "Right?"

"God I hope not," Thom laughs. "Listen I know she's hot," he turns to look at Cashmere sauntering away, already talking up another guy. "But really think about what you want, Gale. Okay? Things with you and Cash didn't work out for a reason. You don't want things to not work out with Madge because you fell into old patterns."

"Old patterns," Gale repeats, nodding his head. "Yeah. You're right."

"I'd stop drinking if I were you," Thom says. "Or stop after the next. I can't babysit you, Gale."

"I know," he sighs, dragging his hand through his hair. His eyes are still on Cashmere who's so innocently flirting with another boy. It's not that she wants to screw over Gale, she just wants sex. And Gale wants sex too. He turns to Madge who's laughing hysterically at Finnick's horrible dance moves and lets out a deep breath.

"Ah," Thom pats him on the shoulder with another sigh. "Good luck." He leaves Gale against the wall to join Delly on the dancefloor. Gale watches Madge for a minute as she talks to Finnick, and then feels his stomach turn hot when he sees Finnick introducing her to a friend from the swim team.

Gale strides into the kitchen for another drink. He's going to need it.

* * *

Cashmere leaves him alone after that, and after that, well. Things get a little hazy. Gale remembers talking to Johanna for a few minutes about the song choice ("Madge requested it," Jo said, "they're her favorite band or something. Which is cracking me up because I totally hooked up with their drummer in high school. We still talk, actually."), and then Bristel says something about how of _course_ Thom and Delly have matching costumes ("Do they have to be anymore annoyingly cute?" she whines. "It's so hard to dislike them together."), and then getting a sight of Peeta as Captain America makes Gale laugh hysterically despite the fact that it's not even funny.

Next thing he knows he's standing on Johanna's coffee table ready to battle Finnick because _Gale's_ the captain and Finnick's the one in a pirate costume.

"_¿Quien te crees?_" Gale's talking quickly, jabbing his finger into Finnick's chest. "_¡__¿De todas las cosas del mundo, como piensas que sos duendo de esta nave?!" _

"Alright, alright!" Finnick laughs, holding his hands up. He hasn't any idea what Gale's saying, his Spanish coming out so rapidly that Katniss is the only one who can understand and is practically _crying_ from laughing so hard. "Do you want the eye patch?" Gale holds out his hand and demands the prop and Finnick gives it to him without hesitation. Madge is laughing somewhere and Thom's taking videos, blackmail for the morning.

"_¡__Deb de empujarte del barranco_, Finnick Odair, _pedazo_ _de mierda!_"

How many cups of jungle juice has he had? Johanna told him to stop after his third but he knows he had another, and possibly one after that.

And then all of a sudden the world spins in a way that Gale doesn't like. He thought he was on the coffee table but now he's leaning on the wall by the kitchen, his forehead sweating profusely. "Hey, hey," Madge's voice comes out of nowhere, soft in his ear as he blinks rapidly, trying to find himself. "C'mon, sailor," she says quietly. "Let's get you to the car."

"_Captain_," he corrects in a murmur, his eyebrows furrowed and his head swimming and his stomach turning.

And then there are stairs, and then he's in a car propped against the side with the open window and cold air whipping his face because Bristel is _positive_ he's going to puke at some point and if it get in her car she's going to have a conniption. And then there are more stairs and then some really bright lights and then an elevator and, fuck, Bristel was right, he's going to be sick.

Gale makes it to the bathroom in time, collapsing on his knees and vomiting in the toilet, nothing but pink coming up from the juice. He holds onto the cold porcelain and coughs until he thinks he's done, and then he groans. All of a sudden there's someone beside him, and then a cool hand on the back of his neck. He tilts his head and finds Madge looking at him with worried eyes.

"Feel any better?" she asks sweetly. He groans and turns away from her, ashamed. But her touch is soothing, and so is her voice, so he doesn't ask her to leave. In fact, Madge's fingers steady him, ground him, and the world spins less. "You want some water?"

"Mmfg."

"I'll be right back." Suddenly her touch is gone and Gale feels weak again. He turns so he can cough into the toilet and then he throws up again, retching until he's _sure _there's nothing left. Madge returns with a cool rag and a cup of water. "Here," she places the rag on his neck and he jumps. "Hey," she laughs a little. "You're okay. It'll help." Madge forces the cup into his hand and takes a big drink. "There you go." He sets the cup down on the ground and groans again, hating how his stomach feels and knowing he's not done puking. Her fingers brush at his bangs which are now soaked with sweat. "You lost your halo," she whispers.

"Ugh." Gale squeezes his eyes shut and pretends that will stop his stomach from rolling. "_Madge_…"

"Hey, you're fine," she says. "Don't worry about me." But she shouldn't _be_ here, Gale knows that. She should've gone home with Peeta and should be in her own room, not taking care of him. He hates that she has to see him like this. And as he decides to tell her this he feels his stomach clench and he can't get the words out. "I'm not going anywhere," she tells him.

He pukes a few seconds later.

* * *

Madge hates throw up.

She hates the sound of people vomiting. She hates the noise of it hitting the water. The smell. All of it makes her nauseous.

But at some point during the party she looked over and Gale was using the wall to hold himself up and his skin was pale and she _knew_ he was going to be sick. And she's here anyway. Seeing Gale helpless, curled around a toilet with sweat beading on his skin, it doesn't make her feel very good. Thom was pretty drunk himself and couldn't take care of Gale, and Bristel flat out said _no_. ("He's done this before. He'll puke for a few hours and be fine.") But Madge couldn't go back to her dorm without being sure.

She knew Gale had a lot to drink. At some point she was dancing with Peeta and she watched Gale march over with a dark look in his eyes before wedging his way between the two of them to dance with her. He was clearly angry about something but he did everything gently, including hip-bump Peeta to the side. She could smell vodka on his breath, and not the kind from the punch. He'd been taking shots with Johanna, maybe had three or four on top of the jungle juice, and was definitely the drunkest person at the party.

"You look _really good_ tonight," Gale had told her sometime during the night. His eyes were hazy, his smile was strange. "Like. _Really good_." Madge laughed at him and swat his hands away from her waist. He leaned in close, his breath against her ear. "Do you wanna talk?" She looked at him with guarded eyes but he smiled, that stupid Hawthorne smile of his. "We can go on the porch."

"I don't think that's a good idea," she told him slowly. "You've had a lot to drink." His eyes darted to her lips and she looked away. "I don't want to do this tonight, Gale."

That was when he started taking shots, Madge is pretty sure. He came back to her, again and again, throwing his arm around her and holding her close and asking, "Are you sure you don't want to talk? We can go outside. We should really talk." But Madge knew he didn't mean talking, and she wasn't drunk enough for them making out to not hurt her in the morning.

Mostly she stayed with Finnick, catching up because they hadn't seen each other since before midterms and talking about Annie. But when she looked up and found Gale swaying she was on her feet immediately.

She's in his bedroom now. The door is cracked, she can see his figure hunched over the toilet as she sits on the edge of his bed.

_From Madge – 2:32 AM  
I'm with Gale. I'll be back in the morning._

She cringes when she hears him puke again and pats her hands to her cheeks, trying not to listen.

_**From Katniss – 2:33 AM  
He did this to himself you dont have to take care of him**_

_From Madge – 2:33 AM  
I'd do it for you._

_**From Katniss – 2:34 AM  
I guess. Hes lucky youre there. See you in the morning**_

* * *

When Gale wakes up his cheek is pressed to the side of the toilet. He scrubs at his face and fumbles for his phone which is a safe distance away from the splash zone. The time is 7:49 AM and he has never felt worse in his entire life than he does right now. His stomach is uneasy, his head is pounding, and he smells like death.

Forcing himself to his feet Gale reaches into the shower, turning the heat on full blast. After he starts it he makes it to the sink, turning on the water and quickly brushing his teeth. The mint soothes the nausea and his teeth no longer feel like they're caked in vomit but his head is still a little light. He scrubs at his face again and exhales deeply, not only feeling sick from the alcohol because God only knows what he did last night while he was inebriated. All he remembers is seeing Madge with Finnick and getting unrightfully angry and then there was a lot of alcohol.

Gale peels his shirt from his body and steps from his pants, still in his half-assed angel costume from the night before only now there's an addition of some vomit on his shirt, leaving them in a pile on the floor. His halo is missing, Posy probably won't be very happy to hear that, but he's somehow acquired an eye patch that's sitting on the edge of the sink.

"_Ay Dios mio_," he says to himself. If he was Captain at any point last night he's going to die of embarrassment. Madge definitely does not need to meet Gale's drunk alter-ego.

Finally the water in the shower is warm enough and Gale clambers in. He stands, using the wall as support, and lets the water run over him until it gets cold, and then forces himself to use at least some sort of soap. When he climbs out he grabs his towel from the hook on the back of the door and wraps it around himself, grabbing his phone from the counter and slowly moving into his room.

He freezes when he pushes the bathroom door open. Curled on his bed is Madge Undersee, wearing a pair of his high school gym shorts and an oversized t-shirt from his dad's garage. Madge stirs at the sound of the door and sits up quickly, her eyes wide and worried.

"Gale!"

"What the hell are you doing here?" he growls, slowly lumbering over to his dresser. If he had sex with Madge Undersee and doesn't remember it he's honestly going to drop out of school. "How long have you been here?"

"All night," she answers, her sleepy eyes studying his naked chest before she turns away. "You've been throwing up since, like, two in the morning." Gale grabs some boxers and slides them on under his towel, letting the towel drop once he's done. Then he digs around for some sweatpants, knowing he's not going to want to leave his room for the rest of the weekend. "Are you feeling any better?"

"You've been taking care of me?"

Madge blinks a few times, nodding her head. "Yeah." He turns to face her once he gets a shirt on and finds her watching him. "I was worried about you." She awkwardly shifts on his bed. "I came in and checked on you almost every hour. I tried getting you out but you literally wrapped yourself around the toilet and in case you hadn't noticed you're a lot stronger than me. I must've fallen asleep waiting for you to finish puking." She wrinkles her nose. "The bathroom smelled awful."

"You don't need to take care of me," Gale grumbles. His headache spikes suddenly and he winces, moving to lower himself onto the edge of the bed. "I'm fine." Madge crawls across his mattress until she gets to him, and then grabs his cheek and forces him to look at her. She lifts a hand to his forehead. "Madge…" his voice is thick.

"You should get some more sleep," she whispers back, forcing her eyes to meet his. "Sleep that isn't on the bathroom floor." He blinks a few times before nodding a little. "I'll go get you some water. And some aspirin." Again, he's nodding. "Maybe some crackers." Gale lowers his head into his hands as Madge slips from the room, undeterred by him finally telling her she shouldn't be here. When she returns she sits down next to him, first handing him the water and then the aspirin. "Eat these slowly," she reminds him as he takes a few crackers. "They'll help soak up whatever's in your stomach."

"I know," he murmurs. "Honestly, Undersee, you didn't have to stay."

"Well I already did," she responds with a yawn, sliding back up onto his bed. "And I only got a few hours of sleep so I'm going back to bed." Gale looks over his shoulder at her snuggling under his blankets and lets out a light laugh. "You should too," she says. Gale eats another cracker before crawling into bed beside her. With his head still swimming and tiredness overtaking him he drapes his arm over her stomach. Instead of repulsion (like he _sort of_ expects) Madge snuggles backwards. "Don't even think about puking on me," she murmurs, her voice thick with sleep.

Gale's voice lifts with laughter as he nuzzles closer. "I'm not going to puke on you."

They're both asleep in minutes.

When Gale wakes again his head doesn't hurt as much but his stomach is still pretty weak. He's glad he ate some crackers and he doesn't necessarily feel like he's going to throw up again but there's definitely a possibility. Also, Madge is gone.

He rubs at his eyes and reaches blindly for his phone by the bed and checks the time, almost 1 PM, and then hears laughter in the kitchen. Slowly he rolls out of bed, and even slower he makes his way to see who's here. A smile finds its place on his face when he finds Madge sitting on the counter with a mug in her hands, her hair tied up in a messy bun as she talks with Thom. When Thom turns to find Gale Madge turns too, and she smiles as well.

"Look who's decided to grace us with his presence," Thom says.

Madge takes another sip from her mug and then says, "Morning, Captain."

"Ugh, fuck off," Gale mutters, which causes Thom and Madge to laugh again as though they'd planned the whole thing. Thom hands Gale a mug of coffee. "Thanks."

"I was thinking we could all go to Dunkin," Madge says, "but then I realized you probably wouldn't be up for that. So I convinced Thom to make pancakes when you woke up."

"Oh, did you now?" Gale cocks an eyebrow.

"She was _very_ convincing," Thom responds, digging in the cabinets for a pan.

Gale turns to her, his eyebrow still cocked, and waits for her to explain. "Delly owes me a favor," Madge answers with a small shrug. Which can literally mean _anything_, and that alone makes Gale laugh. He can only imagine what Madge asked Delly to do. He leans on the counter by her side and she reaches up, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead. "You feeling any better?"

"I'm fine," he says softly. His eyes dart to Thom who has conveniently busied himself but is most definitely smirking. "I'm really sorry about last night," he tells her.

She shakes her head, "Please. You've already told me a thousand times." He said it in the middle of throwing up and during throwing up and after throwing up. She reaches up and lovingly pats his cheek as a joke. "It's okay."

Gale drops his eyes so he's looking at her shirt. "Comfy?"

"Incredibly," she nods, smiling again. "I'm thinking about keeping the shorts." Gale rolls his eyes, turning away from her as she laughs. Maybe last night wasn't so awful after all.

* * *

_A/N: Hello! So what Gale's saying (if you're not Spanish!) more or less translates to "How dare you? Out of all the things in the world how dare you think you own this ship?" and then "I should make you walk the plank / I should punish you, Finnick Odair, you absolute piece of trash/shit." As translated by my one very good friend as well as a friend from Tumblr - no Google translate this time so I'm sticking with them (as they're native speakers, so...!) Also obviously Madge didn't want to leave Gale on the bathroom floor, but sometimes that's just how things happen you feel? Happy Halloween friends! Haha love you all._


	14. you must have missed it

_we're interrupted by the heat of the sun  
trying to prevent what's already begun_

* * *

When Madge wakes up Monday morning in her own bed (unfortunately, because Gale's is _really_ comfortable and comes with the added benefit of well, Gale) she scrambles to shut her alarm off before it can wake Katniss. Madge groans to herself and rubs at her eyes. She didn't spend the whole weekend straight at Gale's but she might as well have. She went back to her own dorm Saturday evening (despite Gale's clothes being comfortable she wanted a shower and her own pants) but went back to Gale's Sunday afternoon to make sure he was doing okay and watch some more Lost. It was overall a really nice weekend.

As she's lying in bed trying to wake herself she scrolls through her phone.

_**From Gale – 1:34 AM  
Are you awake?**_

_**From Gale – 1:38 AM  
Jesus Christ you should be awake right now**_

_**From Gale – 1:42 AM  
Its not even that late undersee! **_

_**From Gale – 2:13 AM  
Im so mad that youre asleep**_

_**From Gale – 2:17 AM  
Call me in the morning this isnt a joke**_

_**From Gale – 2:18 AM  
Im serious**_

_**From Gale – 2:21 AM  
I dont care what time it is**_

Madge sits up in bed, still scrolling through her messages from Gale with her eyebrows furrowed. She went to bed early last night, though 2 in the morning is a little ridiculous for Gale who was sick most of the weekend and works at 10. She glances over at Katniss who's still heavily asleep.

_**From Gale – 2:27 AM  
Fuck just call me dammit**_

_From Madge – 9:27 AM  
What is happening? Are you okay?_

_**From Gale – 9:28 AM  
Thank fucking God. Call me now!**_

Madge doesn't think she's ever gotten ready faster in her entire life. She doesn't want to be on the phone while Katniss is sleeping so she waits until she's all dressed and has her things in her backpack. The second she's in the hallway she dials Gale's phone who answers on practically the first ring.

"Jesus Christ, Undersee," he exhales, "it's about fucking time."

"Are you okay?" she asks immediately. Maybe he's gotten in trouble for drinking? That wouldn't make sense, considering he's 21, but she's worrying anyway. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Gale laughs. Madge stops and rests her head backwards on the wall.

"Nothing's _wrong_?" Madge echoes tiredly. "Your texts made me think something horrible had happened!" She rubs at her forehead and starts for the elevator. She doesn't have to be in class until 10 but she likes to stop for coffee before getting there, and today she thinks she's going to need it. "What's going on then that I had to call you the moment I woke up then, hm?"

"The Slag Heap," Gale says. Madge slows her pace. "They're your favorite band. Right?"

"You know the answer to that," she murmurs.

"Exactly. I do," Gale nods. He's got to get to work too but the second he found out this news he couldn't wait to tell her. "Johanna knows their drummer, they went to high school together and were pretty good friends. Darius, something?" Madge has stopped walking now, hanging on every one of Gale's words. "They're coming to play at the bar that gave them their first gig. It's really quiet, no presale tickets are being sold or anything it's just whoever goes will be there. They're just going as a normal act."

Madge's voice is strangled, "You're kidding."

"I'm not kidding," Gale laughs again. "Do you want to go?" Madge is frozen, her mind racing and her heart pounding. The Slag Heap isn't overly popular. They have a whole bunch of online groupies and play on local radio stations, but they're not big time names. Regardless, Madge _adores_ them. She loves the lyrics and their sound and let's be honest, the main singer is _hot_ and they're such positive people who reply to their fans on Twitter and she's always wanted to see them but hasn't been able to and—"Madge?" Gale asks. "You there?"

"Yeah, yes," she exhales. "I'm here. Are you sure?"

"Am I—what? Yes I'm sure I want you to come. I mean I'm going to be going anyway I just know how much you love them."

"It won't be—it won't be weird? Because it'll be all of your friends and—"

"Why would that be weird?" Gale cuts her off. "They're your friends too."

Madge has never felt this light in her entire life. "Yes," she breathes. "Yes. I want to go. Of course I want to go!" Gale laughs on the other end and Madge feels like she could fly if she jumped into the air. "When is it? Is it soon?" Suddenly she starts to panic. If it's mid-November she can't go because of Aunt May's wedding and that would absolutely break her heart.

"It's Tuesday night," Gale says. _Date night_, Madge thinks. "Tomorrow, Tuesday."

"Oh. Oh!" She's nodding though he can't see her. "Yes! I want to go. Please. How much is it?"

"No, it's free for Jo's friends. We're in for free." Yeah, Madge is actually going to die. "Is that okay? I can pick you up and stuff."

"That would be great. Gale, yes, thank you so much, oh my God." She makes it down the hall and presses the elevator button. "Oh my God. Okay. I have to go because I have to go to class. But oh my God." Again, Gale laughs. "You are the best person on the entire planet and I'm absolutely in love with you." The elevator dings and the doors open up. "I have to get on the elevator, text me the details please! Oh my God."

"Okay," he says. "Have a good day."

"You too! Oh my God!"

Madge hangs up and the person on the elevator gives her a good funny look, but she ignores them and presses the door close button. On the other end of the phone Gale is smiling like an idiot, laughing to himself and writing a mental note to send Johanna a gift basket.

* * *

"So you're telling me," Peeta starts, "that he's asked you to go to the concert of your favorite band, and he's going to pick you up and drop you off separate from everyone else who's driving together, and it's not a date?"

"It's not a date," Madge echoes, touching up her mascara in her mirror. Katniss is in the shower, getting ready for a _real _date considering her and Peeta go out every Tuesday, and Peeta and Delly are in the room while Madge puts on her makeup. "We're probably not even going to talk at all, you know, singing along to songs, and stuff, right?" She looks over her shoulder at Delly and Peeta who exchange a glance.

"It's definitely a date, Madge," Delly laughs.

"No it's _not_," she tries again. "There are going to be so many of us there that—why are you making that face?"

Delly wrinkles her nose, "I'm not… going…" Madge spins around in her chair and Delly shrugs. "I know that you love The Slag Heap, but I… don't…" Madge pouts and Delly shrugs. "Thom didn't ask me along anyway. I thought it was like, a friend-group thing. And it _is_ which is why Gale bringing you makes it a _date_." Madge shakes her head and returns to the mirror, touching up her makeup. Not a date. They're just friends. And Madge is too focused on TSH to really think about Gale at this point because in like an hour she's going to be _seeing_ them inches from her _face_. "It _could_ be a date, Madge, just entertain the idea."

"It's _not_," she says for probably the eighteenth time tonight. "I've gone to concerts with Peeta before," she says.

"Which weren't dates because we never saw each other as romantic prospects," Peeta chimes.

"Gale doesn't see me as a romantic prospect," Madge protests, not entirely believing herself. Why shouldn't he see her as romantic prospect? She's good looking and kind and pretty smart and very driven. "And regardless, we're allowed to hang out and do things as friends, just, ugh." Madge shakes her head and checks her phone again, smiling when she sees a message from Gale.

_**From Gale – 7:12 PM  
Downstairs. Ready when you are**_

"I've got to go," Madge says, standing up. "Have fun tonight, Peeta, and Delly please work on your paper, since I won't be seeing you there." They both roll their eyes at her as she starts for the door.

"Have fun," Peeta calls as she leaves.

* * *

The ride to the bar is full of Madge blabbering on and on about The Slag Heap and talking about what songs she thinks they'll play and wondering if they're going to stay after to meet people, and the whole time Gale is struggling to keep his eyes on the road because he loves the way her eyes light up and the way her cheeks are flushed. And then when they make it to the bar Thom is already nursing a beer while Johanna is nowhere to be seen, probably talking to her friend Darius, and Madge is starting to look anxious.

"Hey," Gale laughs, nudging her, "what's wrong?"

"What if they're not as good live as I'm expecting them to be? Or I meet them and they turn out to be really shitty people?"

Gale casts his eyes toward the stage and shrugs, "I guess you're not going to have time to think about that because they're on in a few minutes." Madge looks at the stage too and the lights are starting to dim. There isn't a crowd forming but most of the small tables up front are filled. "Let's go grab a table before they fill up," he suggests. Madge waves to Bristel and Thom who are stationed at the bar and they both smirk once Gale's turned around. "Don't start," he mouths to them.

He and Madge weave through the crowd of listeners until they're somewhere close to the front but not at a table right against the stage. His hand finds the small of her back as they walk and he keeps her close until they settle onto their own stools. There really aren't that many people here, and this is mostly just an easy listening session, but he wants to make sure he doesn't lose her anyway.

"Gale?" she looks over at him and he looks down, finding her eyes light. "Thanks for asking me along."

He smiles and it makes her chest feel tight, yet somehow it's freeing. They hold each other's gaze for a long time before the lights shift and they both look toward the stage. Almost immediately, not ones for buildup, the members of The Slag Heap take the stage. Gale redirects his gaze to Madge, this time no longer having to drive a car, preventing him from watching her. She looks nervous, but there's a hint of excitement hidden within her eyes that makes Gale sweat.

When the band takes the stage he looks back to them. He's been to a few concerts before but he doesn't know too many of The Slag Heap's songs, so he can't say he's overly prepared for this. Madge is, however.

After the introductions and quiet applause, they start their first song, and Madge knows all of the words.

_This morning the sky's turned gray  
And I decide to stay in bed  
So I pull you closer than yesterday  
To cast the demons from my head_

Gale spends his time listening to the lyrics and trying to see where Madge finds herself among the words, and absorbing the music. It's not a loud band but they do have some songs that remind him of summer, happy and relaxed and like he doesn't have any cares, while other songs are more serious and soft.

_The way you look right now  
Makes me feel so warm  
Makes me feel so warm  
Makes me feel so warm_

_And I know, yes I know, oh yes I know  
I'll still want you in the morn-ing _

At one point of Madge singing along she reaches across and rests her hand atop Gale's and he has never felt more at ease in his entire life, surrounded by a crowd of people he doesn't know, listening to songs he's never heard before, with the girl he wants to be with by his side.

* * *

An hour and a half later their set list is done. Most of the crowd disperses but Madge stays rooted to her seat as the members of the band step down to join them and say hello. Johanna goes straight to Darius again, the redheaded drummer that isn't really being flocked, and Madge slowly walks over in that direction as well.

"Blondie," Johanna cheers, throwing her arm over Madge's shoulder. Johanna's definitely been drinking. "Gale told me you love TSH, yeah?"

"Yeah," Madge exhales. "Hi," she extends her hand awkwardly to Darius who accepts it gracefully, lifting it to kiss her knuckles. "Oh my God."

"Madge, Jo said?" he asks. "I'm Darius." Madge nods a lot of times as he lowers her hand.

"Wow, I'm sorry," she lifts her hands to her cheeks, "I love you guys so much. I don't even know what to say." Darius laughs and licks his lips, exchanging a glance with Johanna. "Were you two catching up? I can leave, I just wanted to say hi and I love your music."

"No, hi," Darius smiles. "I'm really glad, considering I write most of it. What's your favorite?"

Madge makes a face, "Um." Her eyes scan the ground as she tries to figure it out. "That's so hard. Um. Oh my God. I really like _Sleepovers_," she says. "But I don't know if it's my _favorite_. The only thing coming to my head right now is _Parts and Pieces_ but that can't be my favorite it makes me so sad." Darius's smile is incredible as Madge talks. "What's _your_ favorite?" she asks.

"My favorite to write was _Yesterdays Tomorrow_ but I love playing _Gracious_."

"_Gracious_," Madge echoes softly, nodding her head. "Maybe that's my favorite."

Johanna's just been smiling this whole time, as though it's completely unbelievable that some guy she hooked up with under the bleachers her senior year has _groupies_, and that Madge Undersee is one of them. "You want me to take a picture of you two?" Jo asks.

"Oh, _yeah_," Darius answers for her. He pulls Madge toward him while she fishes for her phone in her pocket to hand to Johanna who's still making a face at the entire situation. "Should we do a silly one or a serious one?" Darius asks. "Let's just do both." So they do both, and Madge's entire body feels like it's on fire the whole time. Once they've taken their photo Darius turns to his other two band members, the singer and guitarist, and then back to Madge. "Want to meet everyone?"

* * *

Madge had disappeared and Gale let her go, knowing it would be weird to follow her around as she met some of her idols. He returns to the bar where Bristel and Thom are laughing at something, Thom clearly having enough to drink. Bristel hasn't been drinking, considering she drove, but Thom is definitely at his limit for the night considering he has class tomorrow.

"How is she?" Thom cheers, throwing his arm over Gale's shoulder. "Man, she looked like she was having a great time."

"It was nice," Gale agrees.

"You ask her out yet? Or was this you asking her out?" Thom goes on, his words heavy and slow. Bristel is laughing behind her hand. "Not very straightforward. Maybe you can walk her to her room and kiss her goodnight like in those romantic movies or something."

"Thom," Bristel laughs, "shut _up_. Gale is capable of making his own choices."

"Bleh blah bleb," Thom mimics, causing Gale to laugh at well. "Well she's over there talking to the hot lead singer now so you might want to make a move before he does."

* * *

"Yeah, no," the lead singer – Sebastian – laughs as Madge explains _why_ she doesn't like the order in which they chose their songs to play tonight. "It was _definitely _not too spread out."

"There should've been a transition process," Madge says back, her eyes still light. She's actually talking to the lead singer of The Slag Heap and he's laughing at her and he is so gorgeous that she's having trouble annunciating every word and making sure she doesn't start babbling like an idiot. He's human, she reminds herself. They're all human. Sebastian has bright green eyes and wonderfully tan skin and he's tall with a mess of dark hair that's driving her absolutely insane. "It was like happy, sad, laughing, crying."

"The perfect blend of human emotions," Sebastian cheers back. They've gotten their photos together, thanks to Darius who was insistent and kind, and then they started talking about music. Soon enough their conversation drifted, and with most people leaving the bar they started to talk about books and TV and twenty minutes later, "Hey," he glances over her shoulder suddenly. "Can I buy you a drink?" Madge stills, looking at him with wide eyes and parted lips. Sebastian smiles sheepishly and looks around, "Sorry, that was really upfront. I don't meet too many people sincere people on the road and I'm tired of standing, I didn't mean anything by it—"

"Oh, no, I mean," Madge gnaws on her bottom lip. "That would be, I mean I'd really like that. But I'm only 20." Her birthday was right before the school year, usually uncelebrated by anyone besides her family. Technically she should be a junior so she's one of the oldest in her class. "And I have class tomorrow at ten and—"

"No, it's okay," Sebastian smiles. "I understand." He lifts his shoulders, "Regardless, I think—hello." Sebastian redirects his gaze to behind Madge and she turns to see who he's talking to, finding herself looking at Gale.

"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt." Gale directs his gaze toward Sebastian, "Gale."

"Bas," he responds, extending his hand to shake.

"Great set tonight," Gale tells him and a genuine smile takes Sebastian's face. "Gonna be honest, I've never listened to you before, but Madge seemed to like you enough I figured I'd give it a chance."

Sebastian cocks an eyebrow and shifts his eyes in Madge's direction, "Is that so?"

Madge turns to Gale and finds him watching her. "Mm-hm," he nods. Madge feels her cheeks burn hot and she lets out a short laugh. "Listen," he steps toward Madge. "Bristel and Jo and Thom are hanging out for a while, and I hate to be like this but I've got work in the morning."

"Oh, no, I understand," Madge says, checking her watch. It's nearly 1 AM. "Oh, God."

"You can stay but—"

"No, I'll go with you," Madge cuts him off. "I have class early anyway." She looks back toward Sebastian who shuffles a little bit on his feet. "Uh…"

"I'll be at the bar when you're ready," Gale laughs.

"Thanks," she smiles.

Madge returns to Sebastian who has his eyebrows high on his forehead. "I am so sorry," Sebastian starts immediately. "I didn't know you were here with someone, I don't want to offend him," he says.

"We're just friends," Madge starts. "He's just a friend."

Sebastian smiles, looks at the ground, and shrugs, "Does he know that?" Madge opens her mouth to protest and he laughs, "Did you see how he looked at you? Darius could write a damn ballad about it." Madge blinks a few times, turning to look at Gale who's returned to Bristel and Thom.

That can't be true. "He… doesn't."

"He does," Sebastian insists. "You do, too," he adds with a laugh. Madge feels her face burning as she looks back at him. "It was really nice to meet you, Madge," Sebastian says. "You seem like a lot of fun. I'm really glad you could make it out tonight."

"Me too," she exhales, turning back to him.

"Maybe I'll see you at our next gig, yeah?"

"Yeah," she nods. He hugs her quickly and bids her a goodnight before she turns and starts back to Gale.

* * *

In Gale's Jeep, Madge finds herself awfully quiet. Sebastian turned out to be lovely and kind. She hoped he'd be like that, considering his tweets and YouTube videos and presence on the internet always seemed genuine, but she was baffled at how real of a person he was. And he'd asked to buy her a drink, meaning he was shocked at how real of a person _she_ was too, which has mind blowing to her.

Gale shifts lane and clears his throat, "You have fun?"

"Yeah, yes," she nods. A sleepy smile takes her face. "I'm just tired." She's tired and she has a lot on her mind. How does Gale look at her, she wonders? In such a way that Sebastian would retract his drink offer entirely. But what does that mean. She turns to look up at him but his eyes are focused on the road. "The singer wanted to get me a drink."

He spins around to face her, "What?"

His voice isn't full of excitement for her, but instead anger and disbelief. "I politely declined," Madge laughs a little. "I mean he's nice, but then I'd have to deal with a boy who travels and I'd never see and then one day we would get married and he'd still be on the road and would never see our children and—" she only stops talking once Gale's started laughing, shaking his head at her. "I mean, I guess it's weird." Again she shrugged. "He said he didn't mean anything by it. I believed him."

"You don't think he was hitting on you?"

Madge frowns, "Why would he?"

"Never—never mind." Gale shakes his head a few times, his eyebrows heavy and furrowed together. He doesn't like the idea of Madge's favorite band member hitting on her for Christ's sake, but he can't decide if it's due to morals or due to his own jealously. And yeah, of course Sebastian whatever his name was would hit on Madge. Fucking _look _at her! Gale turns his head in her direction and finds her stating at him. "I'm glad you had fun."

"I really did," she nods. After a moment of silence Madge adds, "You didn't know any of the songs."

His smile brightens, "But now I have plenty to look up and download illegally."

Madge lets out a quiet huff and shifts in her seat. "Why'd you go if you didn't know any songs? You didn't have to sit with me, you could've stayed at the bar."

Gale looks at her again, "_You_ knew the songs." He blinks a few times. "I went for you." They look at one another until Gale's forced to look back at the road.

The rest of the trip is quiet, Madge unsure what exactly he means. He came to the concert for her because they're friends and he didn't want her to sit alone? Or… something else? Now she's thinking of what Peeta said before she left, and then what Sebastian said to her. Soon enough they pull up to Madge's dorm and Gale throws the car into break.

"Gale," she starts. He shifts to look at her and she straightens her shoulders. "My aunt's getting married next weekend," she says.

"Yeah," Gale nods, "You told me."

"Do you wanna go with me?" she asks. His eyebrows arch and Madge starts rambling, "I have a plus one and I don't really have any cousins or family my age and it's going to be a relatively small wedding but I don't want to have to sit with my parents the whole time, and the last time I took Peeta to a family event he tried convincing my grandmother that her cooking would be better if she used more spices and I just—"

"Yeah," Gale says again. "I'll go." She closes her mouth and nods, and he nods too. "You sure?"

"Yes, I want you to come." Gale nods still and his lips curve upwards. They fall silent again before she shifts in her seat, fumbling with her seatbelt. "I'll text you everything you need to know," she tells him as she unbuckles. "It's not overly formal or anything, and it'll be relatively short, and it's pretty close to here so the drive won't be too long."

"Great," he says quietly. "It sounds great, Madge." Once she's unbuckled and just sitting there he goes to shift his car back into drive. Gale looks back out the windshield, "I'm glad you could come tonight," he starts to say, when all of a sudden Madge is holding his chin and her lips are warm against his cheek. Gale turns in shock the second he understands what's happening and Madge is fumbling with the door handle. "Madge," he tries calling after her as she hops out.

"Goodnight," she forces out. Madge leans in the door and smiles at him. "Thanks for tonight, Gale."

He goes to say something back, plead with her to get back in the car so he can press her into the seats and feel her lips against his, so he can kiss her senselessly, so he can let her warmth engulf him completely. But she shuts the door and waves through the window, hurrying back to her dorm to fight off the brisk November air.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry this has taken so long! I don't know why school is just making me unmotivated to write. Feel free to send me messages reminding me to update! Don't be rude about it because that's not fun but just a little nudge after a while! Hopefully you won't need to send anything because I'll be on top of it, but you never know. Also, as always, big shout out to Alys my wonderful beta! She gets me through the hard stuff! You all rock, I hope you're enjoying some winter time!_


	15. maybe we could be the start of something

_maybe we could be the start of something  
be together at the start of time_

* * *

Two days later and her lips are still warm from when they brushed Gale's cheek. It was a last minute decision and she doesn't regret it – but in the aftermath she's nervous it might change things for the worst. If Gale doesn't see any potential with Madge she thinks he might shut her out, but the good news is he invites her rocking climbing on Tuesday.

"I have a paper to write," Madge tells him over the phone.

Gale knows she's lying and tells her he's going to text her through the remainder of the night to bother her. Really she's just unsure about how things will be the first time they see each other again. What if the not-real kiss freaked him out?

Gale snorts, "You're just worried you won't make it up the wall."

In lighter news, Sebastian from The Slag Heap has followed Madge on Twitter and asked for her Snapchat. But while he's cute and kind, he's no Gale.

* * *

"What the ever loving _fuck_ am I supposed to wear to a wedding?" Gale groans. He rips through his dresser while Bristel sits perched on his bed, browsing through Instagram as he fusses. "Black pants? A white shirt?"

"What is she wearing?" Bristel asks.

"Fuck if I know." Gale gives up, sinking into the chair at his desk and dropping his head into his hands.

Bristel looks up at him and smirks. "God, I love this. Gale Hawthorne, Captain of the seas—"

"_Bristel_," he growls.

"—crushing and getting flustered and frustrated!"

"Stop it," he snaps. He drags his hands through his hair and rubs his temples. "Just help me pick out something to wear, okay?"

"Gale's going to a _wedding_," Bristel hums, sliding from his bed to look through his drawers. She pulls out a pair of black slacks. "My little boy's growing up so fast."

"You're killing me, B," Gale sighs. "You know, it's not fair that you're giving me shit about this. I never give you shit about Thom." Bristel shoots a nasty look over her shoulder and Gale shrugs innocently. "Don't act like you haven't been spending more time with him lately. You know he's with Delly."

"Obviously I know he's with Delly," Bristel frowns. "That isn't—this isn't a fair argument." Bristel stands and moves to Gale's closet, fingering through the shirts until she finds one. "Here," she pulls the hanger off the pole and hangs it on the back of Gale's closet door. "Just find out what she's wearing and match your tie. Thom has…" she blushes at the mention of their friend. "Thom has a lot of ties." She marches across the room and drops herself back onto Gale's bed. "I keep trying to talk to him," she says quietly. "About, you know. What could be. Maybe. But he…" Bristel shakes his head and Gale feels an anchor in his chest. "It's like he doesn't want to." She looks in his direction. "You could talk to him?"

"You know I love you, Bris," Gale responds. "I don't know what you want me to say, though."

She pulls her eyes away from him and dips her head. "Yeah. You're right. Sorry."

"Bris—"

"No, you're right. Johanna's been telling me the same thing." She squares her shoulders and looks back at him. "So Madge kissed you," she says, changing the subject.

He stares at her for a minute, wishing he could help with Thom but knowing it's not his place, before shaking his head. "On the cheek. Doesn't count."

"You could try at the wedding."

"Maybe." Does that count as a date, the wedding? Or did the concert? Gale should probably put in explicit terms that he is taking Madge out. So the wedding won't really count. "Maybe I should ask her out right now, huh?"

"That might make the wedding awkward if she says no." Gale sits back in his chair, suddenly feeling a little nervous. _If she says no_. What if Gale's just fooling himself and he doesn't actually have a chance with Madge? Bristel must notice the panic on his face because she quickly adds, "Not that she will."

"You don't know that."

"Alright, I don't, but neither do you. She _did_ kiss you on the cheek." He drags his hands through his hair and looks at himself in the mirror. Is Madge the type of person that kisses the cheeks of people she's grateful for? Or was there something there? He felt the hum of electricity between them that night. Maybe she did too. "Just, don't stress about it, okay? No use in that." Gale dips his head and then rubs at his forehead. "I guess I should find out what she's wearing," he murmurs. "Huh?"

* * *

Between all of the homework that came out of nowhere for Madge to work on and the upcoming wedding where she happened to be a bridesmaid for her aunt, Madge barely found time to see Gale. They ended up grabbing lunch one afternoon and continued texting some nights but no Lost was watched between the concert and the day of the wedding.

She straightens her dress in the mirror and fluffs her hair, she curled it for the wedding. Her own curls were nice sometimes but today it just wasn't cutting it. "Stop preening, Madge," Katniss murmurs from her bed. Madge sighs. "Trying to impress someone?"

"Stop it, Katniss," she frowns. She checks her phone, finding that Gale's waiting downstairs for her. "I'll be back tonight."

"I'm going home for the weekend," Katniss reminds her. "So I won't be." Madge nods, tangling her fingers on the tips of her hair. "Tell Gale I say hi." Dropping down to pull on a pair of heels, Madge nods. She grabs her bag and starts for the door. "Wait," Katniss stops her. "Have fun tonight, okay?" Madge stares at her friend, tipping her head forward. "You know, I…" Katniss sits up a little. "I'm okay with it. You and Gale."

Madge feels her face get hot. "We're not… we're not together or anything, Katniss. We're just friends."

"Yeah, I know," she waves her hand. "But I mean, if anything happens. It's… I mean, you can make your own choices, I know that, I just, I've been trying to not let it happen, and if it wants to happen, I mean—"

"I get it," Madge says. "I mean I don't think… I don't think that will happen tonight, if ever, but thanks, Katniss. We're just friends. _Just_ friends."

Her friend smiles awkwardly, looking down and away from her. "Sure." Madge fiddles with the door handle. "Have fun," Katniss says again.

* * *

When Gale sees Madge walking out of her building he feels his breath catch in his throat. She's wearing a purple dress and her heels make her legs look even longer, she smiles at him through the window. He clutches the steering wheel and looks out the front window, inhaling deeply. _Don't be awkward_, he thinks. _Don't be awkward_. Madge opens the side door and slides in.

"Hi," she says.

"Hey."

"Thanks so much for coming on such short notice," Madge tells him. He waves her off, shifting the car back into drive. "It's only about 20 minutes away from here." She pulls up her phone and opens the GPS. A loud, man voice tells them to follow the road out. "It's a left after that," she says.

Gale drives the car as instructed. Trying to push the nerves from his body he asks the first question that comes to mind, "Your Siri is a man?"

"What?"

"Your Siri. The GPS voice. It's a man," Gale tells her. Madge looks down at her phone and shrugs, then Gale laughs. "Why did you make it a man?"

Madge shrugs again, "The girl was rude to me."

* * *

Madge spends the entire ride debriefing Gale on her family.

"First there's my dad. He's really great, kind of dorky. Wears his pants up too high. Kind of shy, too, but really good at heart. He'll probably give you a few weird looks but then joke around with you. He's _super_ into politics so if you don't want to talk about politics don't bring them up. At all. He'll talk through the ceremony I swear it."

"Then there's mom. She's, um," Madge blushes and then rubs the bridge of her nose. "My mom's definitely more outgoing than my dad. She'll want to take a lot of pictures and she'll want to know everything there is to know about your life. She, uh, she hates when people ask her how things are going with her treatment and stuff, so avoid that, I guess. She has a head wrap and my dad said they just moved her to a wheelchair so she's going to hate that, too. She'll get easily frustrated, I can see it now. Mostly she's just really, uh, really great."

"Aunt May, I don't know how much you'll talk to her because it's her wedding night and all, but she's a lot like my mom. Only she doesn't have cancer." Gale gives her a look. "Sorry, I mean, yeah. No, she's cancer free." He reaches over with his free hand and squeezes her knee. Madge sucks in a sharp breath and then starts talking again. "But Haymitch, the guy she's marrying, he'll grill you like you wouldn't believe. Just keep saying we're just friends and he'll hopefully move on and forget about you."

"Just friends," Gale echoes quietly. He returns his hand to the steering wheel.

"Try not to be alone with him. Once he thought Peeta and I were dating and he lectured him for, like, twenty minutes straight."

"Can't wait," he murmurs. "Anyone else I should keep an eye out for?"

"No I don't think so. Haymitch doesn't have a lot of family so no one on that side really. My grandparents don't associate with strangers, no offense, they're really quiet they'll just keep to themselves. All my cousins are on my dad's side and since his family isn't the one getting married they won't be here." Madge gnaws on her bottom lip. "It's gonna be pretty small."

"That's fine," Gale says. His family events are usually overflowing with relatives. There were so many people at his last birthday party he's pretty sure he didn't know at least seven of them. "It'll be nice for a change. Quiet."

"Well I didn't say quiet," Madge teases him. "There's an open bar."

* * *

Madge leads him into the church and he stays by her side, keeping his eyes forward. They're barely through the doors when someone shouts her name and Gale winces in panic. He turns to find a man pushing a woman in a wheelchair in their direction. A few blinks and Gale realizes it's her parents.

"Mom!" Madge smiles. She strides away from Gale and toward her parents, leaning down to give her mother a hug and then stretching on her toes to give her father one as well. He observes them as they hug. Madge and her mother share the same bright blue eyes, but only Madge has her long golden hair. Like she told him, Mrs. Undersee's wearing a head wrap. It's red, supposedly to accent her black and red dress. Her skin is pale but her smile is full of life. Mr. Undersee is tall and lanky with glasses on the tip of his nose. He has freckles across his cheeks like Madge does. Once they're done greeting one another she turns back to him. "This is Gale," Madge tells them.

"Oh, I've heard about _you_," her mother teases.

Gale feels his ears go hot. What could Madge have told her parents about him? "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Undersee." He reaches down and shakes her hand, her thin fingers feel so fragile in his grip. "Mr. Undersee," he says, shaking her father's hand as well, a grip that's firm yet a very short handshake.

"I thought you said you weren't bringing anyone," Mr. Undersee murmurs, eyeing up Gale. "Not that I mind," he adds quickly.

"It's alright," Gale says, laughing nervously. Madge moves back by his side and gives him a warm smile.

"It was a last minute decision," Madge tells her parents. "Aunt May said it was fine."

"Well I'm _ecstatic!_" her mother cheers. "You are incredibly handsome," she tells Gale, shifting in her wheelchair. "Your parents must be so proud."

"Yes, I'm sure they're incredibly proud of his good genes," Madge says with a frown. "Not any of his accomplishments."

Her father's eyebrows shoot to his forehead. "I'm sure you're smart, too," Mr. Undersee says, resting one of his hands on his wife's shoulder. "What are you majoring it?"

"I used to be a physics major but I recently switched to environmental science," he responds.

Madge looks up at him. "When did you switch? I didn't know that."

"About a month ago," Gale says, looking toward her. "I told you."

"No you didn't," Madge protests.

"Yes I did," Gale laughs. "During midterms!"

"Oh, how was I supposed to remember that, then? You know how stressed midterms made me!" Between their back and forth Madge's parents exchange a glance and then smirk. "Whatever," she nudges him slightly and looks back at her parents, catching the end of their look. "We're going to go sit," Madge blurts. Gale hears the wobble in her voice and lifts his gaze to her parents as well, not having seen their glance. "If you see Aunt May or Haymitch tell them we'll see them after."

"I'll go with you," Mr. Undersee announces. Madge lets out a short breath while he readjust his hands on the back of her mother's wheelchair. "Just let me take your mother to May and then I'll come sit. We have seats in the front row, on the left."

"Great," Madge smiles. She waves bye and then grabs Gale's wrist, quickly pulling him into the church. "I'm sorry," Madge tells him as they walk. "I told you my mom's—"

"It's fine," Gale laughs, cutting her off. "She's not wrong. I look damn good dressed up." Madge turns to look at him over her shoulder and he smirks, watching her roll her eyes. "If anything, my parents definitely aren't proud of how incredibly good looking I am."

Madge laughs, "Oh? And why not?"

As they sit he tells her, "I was a troublemaker in high school."

"And this has to do with your looks, how?" Gale opens his mouth and then closes it, and Madge throws her head back into another laugh. "Oh my God, you were a total heartbreaker. Weren't you?" Why didn't she assume that? Gale's made his rounds in college, he most certainly didn't start his flighty behavior then. He's been hooking up with girls since he was in high school.

"Ah," Gale scrubs at his face. He shouldn't have said anything. "Maybe?" Madge laughs at him once again and he smiles. "I mean, I didn't really date many people, I guess." One of her eyebrows arches and he exhales. How can he put this without turning her off of him? "I didn't like to… settle," he finally says.

Madge thinks on this for a moment. She doesn't want to think about Gale being flighty anymore. As far as she knows he hasn't been with anyone in a while. Maybe he's turned over a new leaf. So she takes a deep breath. "Past tense?" she asks.

"Past tense," Gale confirms. She smiles and he only barely catches it because he's too nervous to look at her. "What about you?" he asks. "Any high school stories worth sharing?"

"Not at all," Madge shakes her head. "People never found me very interesting. I went on a few dates but nothing really stuck." He snorts. "What, you don't believe me?" Gale keeps his mouth shut and Madge pushes him, causing the pew they're sitting on the creak. "Sorry to disappoint, Hawthorne, but I've never been the most desirable person."

"Whatever you say, Princess." Madge opens her mouth, probably to protest again, when her father slips onto the pew beside them.

"Oh, May looks incredible!" he tells them. "This is going to be so lovely."

* * *

The ceremony is fairly quick. There's only a best man and a maid of honor. Madge's mom is wheeled out by Haymitch's best man – a college friend named Chaff – and then Haymitch comes out looker more sober than Madge has ever seen him but also happier than she's ever known, and then May walks out with Madge's grandfather very slowly. Everyone stands and watches as she enters the room. Her father was right, Aunt May looks beautiful. Her dress is a simple sweetheart design with a lace bodice and a strap on her hips that separates the pattern. When Madge gasps Gale tilts his head to look at her and feels the air rush from his lungs.

Without thinking Gale taps his hand on his side before he reaches over, capturing her fingertips with his own until she turns her hand. Their fingers lace and Madge looks over at him for a moment before her cheeks turn pink and she smiles. He smiles back and then redirects his gaze to the bride walking down the aisle and Madge looks back too. The moment he knows she's not looking at him anymore he returns his gaze to her.

Gale knows all eyes should be on the bride but Madge is so incredibly beautiful he doesn't understand how that's a possibility for him. Her pink lips are parted, broken by the smile she wears. Her blue eyes are glistening. She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth to hide a laugh and Gale feels heart stumble. He rubs his thumb over hers and without looking at him she squeezes his hand.

After they sit back down Gale manages to focus his attention to the rest of the ceremony. Haymitch looks like someone who would be very uptight and grumpy, he has frown lines and a hard look in his eyes, but when looking at May it all dissolves. They say their vows, exchange rings and kiss, and the whole church applauds and cheers.

After the two of them leave Madge stands and pulls Gale with her, their hands still laced. The reception hall is a quick drive down the road and everyone is rushing to their car. "I'll be right back," Madge tells him, releasing his hand and disappearing down a hallway toward the bathroom.

Gale sucks his teeth and turns back to the crowds, nodding and smiling politely at those who smile at him. He pulls out his phone to check the time and frowns at the message he sees waiting for him.

_From Peeta – 4:13 PM  
hows ur date going?_

_**From Gale – 5:01 PM  
Mind your own**_

He receives a response almost immediately.

_From Peeta – 5:02 PM  
sry… tht was supposed 2 go 2 madge_

"You ready?" Gale's eyes snap up to see Madge standing by his side, her eyes bright. His lips part and he nods. "Let's go, then."

* * *

The second they get to the reception hall Madge makes for the open bar in the back of the room. She looks at Gale over her shoulder, "Do you care if I drink?"

He shakes his head, "Why would I care? If your parents don't, I mean it's your aunt's wedding."

She gnaws on her bottom lip. "You can, too, you know. As long as you're good to drive when it's time to go."

With a sigh of relief he steps up to the bar. "I'll have a glass of wine, then." Spending the entire evening with Madge's family will definitely be a little easier with a little bit of alcohol in his system.

They get their glasses and start off for the table with their name cards, Gale's saying "Madge's plus one", something she says her aunt must have made up last minute when she called earlier this week.

"Fancy," he murmurs. "For it being so small."

"Aunt May is nothing if not elaborate," she returns. They're almost there when all of a sudden Madge is hugging someone, a very old woman with snow white hair and bright blue eyes. "Nana," Madge smiles and turns to Gale. "This is Gale, my date for the night."

"Nice to meet you," Gale forces out, extending his hand to the woman. _My date for the night_. Again he thinks that they should've talked about this as what it is. Clearly he's her date for the night, but does this make it a date? He licks his lips and smiles as she says something quietly to Madge, and then takes a drink from his glass. "I'm going to go sit, if that's alright with you." Madge nods and points to where their table should be, and Gale quickly weaves his way through the rest of the tables to sit down. After taking another big gulp he pulls out his phone.

_**From Gale – 5:16 PM  
Did she say this is a date?**_

He peers over his shoulder at Madge who is still greeting various family members, anxiously awaiting Peeta's response.

_From Peeta – 5:17 PM  
ur a wedding… wtf else would it be_

Gale feels a heavy hand on his shoulder all of a sudden, a hand that most certainly does not belong to Madge. He glances over his shoulder and shoves his phone into his pocket, finding none other than the groom Haymitch standing behind him. His eyes are pale and gray, narrowing in his direction.

"You're Madge's date, then?" he asks.

"Yes, sir," Gale nods. He turns, unsure if he should stand and ends up just staying in his seat, extending his hand to Haymitch. "Gale. Nice to meet you."

"Mm-hm," Haymitch's firm is grip. "You're drinking? Aren't you the driver?"

"With all due respect, Haymitch," Madge suddenly appears at his side, resting her hand on his arm so he can finally release Gale's handshake. "It's one glass of wine and it's not even six. I think he'll be below the legal limit by the time we leave." He turns away from Gale to look at Madge and a smile fills the old man's face. "Be nice," she warns.

"Sweetheart," he pulls her into a hug and Madge squeezes him close, looking at Gale and mouthing _sorry_. Gale rubs the bridge of his nose.

"Congrats, Haymitch," she laughs, pulling away. "Do I have to call you Uncle Haymitch, now?"

"Absolutely not," he tells her. "I was just introducing myself to Gale, here." Haymitch looks at the boy still sitting. "He's certainly not your normal type."

"Haymitch I do not have a normal _type_," she frowns.

"Tall, blonde, preppy," Haymitch ticks the list off on his fingers. Gale feels his stomach tightening. He casts his eyes away and lets the words hit him. "Plays some sort of sport, has a lot of money—"

"Haymitch," her cheeks run hot. Gale reaches for his wine glass, wondering if he can drown the self-doubt that's making his skin crawl. "I don't have a type. Where's May, hm? Shouldn't you be with your _wife_?" Haymitch trades a glance between Gale and Madge and she narrows her eyes at him. "Go, please," she pushes him away, sinking into the seat beside Gale without saying anything else. Only once Haymitch is gone does Madge turn to him. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," he lies. Maybe he should mention he played sports in high school, but that won't really do anyone any good. That wouldn't make him blonde or give him a lot of money.

"He doesn't have a filter," Madge continues, clearly upset by what Haymitch was saying. She takes a big drink of her wine and looks at Gale. "The only two people I've ever brought to family functions are Taftan and Peeta. Taftan because I was dating him and Peeta because I needed a friend. They're brothers. They clearly look alike. So it's not like I—"

"Hey," Gale reaches over and rests his hands atop hers over the table. "It's okay. He's obviously just messing with you."

"Even if I had a type _that_ certainly wouldn't be it." Gale arches an eyebrow at her and she shakes her head. "Never mind."

"Okay." He decides to change the subject. "What am I, then?" he asks. She blinks a few times, looking up at him. Gale doesn't want to feel inadequate. He's spent these past few months reassuring himself that he's _not_. That he's _good_ for Madge. Gale bites the bullet. "Taftan was a date, Peeta a friend…"

For a moment Madge is quiet but Gale holds her gaze. He wonders if he's fucked it up before she licks her lips and shrugs, "Well what do you want to be?"

"Oh, that's my choice?" he wonders with a laugh bubbling out of him. Her lips curve into a smile and she opens her mouth to respond when suddenly her mom and dad reach the table. Gale squeezes her fingertips before pulling his hand away, lifting his cup to take a drink.

* * *

The rest of the night is spent full of music and lots of laughter. They take a lot of photos, Madge's mom _insists_, and Madge dances to the Cupid Shuffle and requests it two more times after her fourth glass of wine.

But when Madge gets up for her _seventh_ glass of wine and doesn't return, Gale gets a little anxious. Her parents are great company, they're funny and sincere and actually really want to get to know him, which is great, and May and Haymitch are just as interesting. Haymitch continues to question Gale even with Madge there and May is friendly and full of hugs. Her family is great. But Gale knows it doesn't take more than five minutes to get a glass of wine and the fact that it was her _seventh_ makes him worry.

He scans the room, excuses himself, and then goes off to find her. It doesn't take him too long to figure out she's not inside because the place isn't that big, and after deciding she's probably not in the bathroom he peeks his head into the front hallway, finding her sitting on the ground against the far wall. Gale glances over his shoulder at her family still happily chatting about the wedding, and then strides over to her.

"Hey," Gale calls. As he gets closer he realizes something's off. Madge's eyes are filled with tears, her cheeks are pink, her chest is hiccupping. "What's wrong?" he asks, picking up his speed and dropping down next to her. "Hey, hey, it's okay," he drapes his arm around her shoulder and pulls her to him. "Talk to me."

"She—she won't get to c-come to _my_ wedding," Madge croaks into his shirt.

Confused Gale blinks a few times. "What?"

"My _mom_," she whimpers. _Oh_. "They're only h-having this b-because she's _dying_, Gale, she's _dying_." Madge swings her hand over to his chest and grips his shirt. "I c-can't stop thi-thinking about it."

"It's okay," Gale whispers. He slides his hand up and down her arm, trying to sooth her. "It's okay." He starts slowly, but knows he has to say something. He can't let her cry this out or she'll be crying the whole night. "But I know that your mom is in there right now," Gale murmurs. "And she's having a great time, and so's your aunt. And… thinking about what's going to happen isn't going to make it stop." Madge sniffles and slowly turns her head to look at him. "But living right now in this moment with your family… it's a blessing." Gale lifts his free hand and wipes the tears from below her eyes. "And I think we should go back in when you're ready."

After a moment Madge dips her head into a nod. "I know you're right," she tells him. "It's just s-so _hard_."

"Hey, I know," he goes on, his voice still soft and his thumb still wiping away tears. "And you can be sad about it, tomorrow, or whenever, and I'm gonna be there for you when you need me. But now is not that time."

She sniffled again. "I know," Madge say again. She removes her hand from his shirt and nods. "I know." Madge wipes at her face now too, making sure to curve her fingers under her eyelids in case there's smeared makeup. "Do I look okay?" she asks.

Gale know she's asking because of her makeup, and she doesn't want to look like she's just been crying to her family. He knows she wants to hear something simple, _yeah of course, you look fine_.

But it escapes him before he can stop it. "You look beautiful," Gale breathes.

Madge blinks a few times, looking up at him through wet eyelashes. Her lips part and Gale licks his, leaning in slightly. Overwhelmed by the way she's looking at him he forgets all about the reason they're in the hallway. Madge moves toward him as well, arching her back slightly to press herself upwards, when someone opens the door to the reception hall. The loud music that enters the hallway startles them and Gale pulls back before she does. He lets out a deep breath and pushes himself away from the wall to stand. Once he's on his feet he offers his hand to her, and she accepts it.

Instead of letting go, Madge laces her fingers with his as they walk back to the reception hall.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for the later-than-usual post! I hope you enjoy the chapter, and I really hope you're enjoying the ride. We're almost there, kids, stay strong. I love you all!_


	16. this is where you're meant to be

_don't you see_  
_you can try to fight it but it's meant to be_  
_you and me, baby_

* * *

If Madge's family suspects she was recently crying when she and Gale walk back into the reception hall, no one says anything. They smile as he and Madge take their seats again after grabbing her _another_ glass of wine despite his quiet protests, and Madge takes a big swig before smiling back. Gale stopped drinking a while back, knowing the reception would be ending soon and needing to drive. Under the table Gale rests his hand upon Madge's knee and she shifts to look at him, her eyes lighting up. Madge finishes her wine, which makes it her seventh cup of wine, and turns to him.

"I want to move," Madge says. Her brain is all over the place and she doesn't want to sit still. "I want to be on my feet. Do you want to dance?" she asks him.

"I'm _your_ guest," he returns. "I'll do whatever you want."

"Then I guess we're dancing," Madge says, standing once again. Gale follows, extending his hand to her as they move to the dance floor.

The song is changing then from a faster one to a ballad, soft and slow and the perfect excuse for Madge to pull him close. Her head is fuzzy from the wine she's been drinking. Even after her emotional outburst her vision is still a little hazy. She _never_ would've cried if she hadn't been drinking, but her thoughts got the best of her as they tend to do when she's drunk. All she knows is that Gale was incredibly patient with her, and he knew just what to say to make her feel better.

They make it to the dance floor and she reaches up, sliding her arms behind his neck. Gale holds her close by wrapping his own arms around her waist. They take small steps and sway to the beat while she watches him with wide eyes.

"Thank you," Madge tells him quietly. Step, side step, step. His eyes crinkle as he smiles. "I'm really happy you could come."

"Anything for you," he tells her with a voice that's just as soft. Her smile mimics his and she presses forward to wrap herself even closer, knowing her face is getting too pink to keep looking at him. Gale readjusts his arms to hold her tighter and Madge sighs into his shoulder. "I think I've made up my mind," he whispers into her ear. His breath is hot, it makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "About what I want to be."

"What do you mean?" she whispers back.

"Earlier you said I could pick." His voice is low but it still makes her chest rumble. "I want this to be a date." Madge peels away from him so she can look at him, returning her eyes to his. She stumbles a little on her heels and Gale steadies her. "Easy, Princess."

"I—sorry," she exhales. Madge slides her hands from behind his neck to rest on his shoulders. "Yeah. Yes," she agrees, nodding her head.

Gale laughs a little, and just before he can lean in and press his forehead to hers he catches a whiff of the wine on her breath, reminding him she just finished another glass moments ago. His smile shrinks. "How much have you had to drink?" Gale asks. Madge blinks a few times, her eyes focusing on a spot behind him as she tries to think, counting in her head. "I should get you home," he exhales, feeling his chest get tight. He can't win this. No matter what he does or says, Madge is drunk.

"No, I'm fine," she insists.

"Then how many glasses have you had, Madge?"

"That doesn't—" she groans, lifting her hands to cup his cheeks. "_Gale_. That doesn't matter." He lowers his forehead to hers anyway, sighing another time as her eyes search his. "I want this to be a date too," she admits, her voice high and breathy. Gale doesn't know if the pink to her cheeks is from her blushing or because of the alcohol. Either way, it feels like he's lost this. "Gale," Madge is still gripping his cheeks. "I—ever since—"

"Don't," he cuts her off. "Don't say anything you wouldn't if you hadn't been drinking. Okay?"

Her lips part and she blinks hard a few times. "Gale…"

"Please," he whispers. He doesn't want her this way. Gale knows he's missed his opportunity more than once to kiss her, there was the time after rock climbing and then the morning after Cashmere's party and also the car ride after The Slag Heap, but this isn't one of those times. Not while her thoughts are muddled and her emotions are running high from a wedding but also her sick mother. "_Please_," Gale says again. Before she can say anything else he dips down, turning slightly so his lips can graze her cheek. When Gale pulls way her eyes have drifted shut and there's a small smile on her face. "Tomorrow. We can talk tomorrow."

As she opens her eyes to say something there was a hand on her shoulder. Madge turns to find Haymitch and cheers, releasing Gale completely and turning to her new uncle as she envelops him in a hug. "Haymitch!" Madge smiles brightly and hugs him with all her strength. Haymitch holds her close and he shoots Gale a nasty look who in turn feels his ears burn. "Dance with me!"

"That's why I'm here, Sweetheart," he murmurs. Gale steps back and nods his head to signal he knows this isn't his place.

As Madge dances with him Gale walks back to his seat, smiling at her parents. He eyes Madge's empty glass of wine and wishes he could get another of his own to get rid of the knots in his stomach. "You having fun tonight?" Mrs. Undersee asks him.

Gale nods, "Yeah. I'm glad I could come."

"I'm so glad Madge decided to ask you," she continues brightly. "She wasn't so sure about it a while back." Gale's lips part as he takes this in. Madge has talked to her mother about him? He tilts his head to look at Madge who's swaying on the dance floor with Haymitch. "I think you two are so sweet together."

"Marigold," Mr. Undersee tries to frown, nudging her wife. "Don't embarrass Madge, now, she'd be very upset."

"Honey," Mrs. Undersee returns, "you're doing it now." Gale laughs awkwardly, redirecting his gaze to her parents.

"We're just very happy she's ended up with someone as lovely as you, Gale," her father says.

"Oh, Mr. Undersee, sir," Gale shakes his head as his ears start to burn. "We're not, Madge and I aren't together."

"Who's embarrassing her now, Leon?" Mrs. Undersee elbows her husband in the chest.

Before anyone can say anything else Gale feels someone's hands on his shoulders and then Madge is leaning over him, her blonde hair falling freely. "Are you almost ready to go?" she asks. Gale nods curtly and she smiles before letting him go. "I'm gonna pee first!"

"Yeah," Gale agrees, "you should do that." She giggles before letting him go and starting off for the bathroom. "I should get our coats," Gale says, her parents nodding and smiling politely as though they hadn't just embarrassed Madge tremendously.

* * *

"Here's your jacket," Gale says once Madge exits the bathroom. He's been awkwardly waiting by the door the entire time. He helps her slide it over her arms because she's wobbling on her heels and giggling, but the second it's on all the way she prances up and throws her arms around his neck. "Ready?" he asks, awkwardly leaning backwards so she doesn't get any ideas.

Madge's hands slide down his shoulders as she straightens up again, her eyes lingering on his lips. Once she pulls away Gale scrubs at his face with a deep sigh, following her closely.

They say goodbye to her parents, Madge hugging both of them tightly and promising to text them when she gets back to her dorm. She then hugs Haymitch and Maysilee while Gale says his goodbyes to her parents as well. He promises to get Madge home safe and they both smile at him. When Madge gets to Maysilee Haymitch grips Gale's hand, his eyes hard.

"You be careful now," Haymitch tells him with a cold voice. "I swear to God, boy, if I find out that you—"

"_Haymitch_," Maysilee hums, cutting him off. She smiles at Gale as Haymitch finally releases his hand. "Take care of her."

"Absolutely," Gale. He wishes them (Maysilee, mostly, because looking at Haymitch gives him the chills) a happy marriage and congratulates them again before saying goodbye. Madge reaches for Gale's hand and he accepts it simply because he doesn't want her to fall over. "Careful, now, you sure you don't have to pee again? It's about a 20 minute drive."

"I'll be _fine_," she insists, smiling happily and obliviously in her own little drunken world.

Once they're in his jeep she's asleep in minutes.

* * *

Madge wakes up in the morning with a killer headache. She squints into the light of the room wondering why it's so freaking bright when she realizes someone's pulled the curtains open. Madge closes her eyes again, blindly reaching for a water bottle on the dresser beside her bed when her hands hit two small pills. She squints again, finding ibuprofen as well as two full water bottles waiting for her to drink.

"The princess wakes," she hears. Madge sits up and finds Gale sitting at her desk, munching on a strawberry Pop-Tart. He smirks at her and she rubs at her eyes before grabbing the pills and taking them quickly. "How's your head?"

"Throbbing," she admits. "Peeta usually makes me drink a gallon of water after a night out."

"Well I tried," Gale shrugs as he swallows. "You basically passed out the second we got here."

How he managed to rouse Madge when they got back to her dorm last night was incredible. She had had a lot to drink and was pretty out of it. Thankfully she kept it together through the guest sign-in – there was no way he was going to let her go up to her room alone. He couldn't have her passing out on the elevator or in the common room, he needed to make sure she was safely in her room before he left. And Madge was still incredibly sleepy then. Her tired smile made his chest warm.

After trying to get her to lay down for a while she pulled her dress up and over her head. She was wearing spandex underneath and had a bra on but Gale panicked and averted his gaze. "Don't be a prude, Hawthorne," she teased, still clearly drunk. But she was pretty fast at changing into her pajamas. After that he tried helping her into bed _again_ when she grabbed his tie, pulling him with her. "Just lay with me," Madge pleaded with him, and that's how he ended up trapped under her arm in her twin-sized bed.

It didn't last long. Madge was asleep seconds later and Gale eased out from under her hold – she didn't even stir. And he was going to leave after that, maybe write a note or something, but it didn't feel right. So he kicked off his shoes and fished around for some of Peeta's pajamas that he left there in case he stayed the night (and Gale _prayed_ they were clean) and climbed into Katniss's bed, falling asleep.

"I'm sorry," Madge murmurs after chugging over half of a water bottle. "I had way more wine than anticipated." Gale's lips curled upwards into a mischievous smile. "What's that look?" she asked with a frown.

"How much do you remember?" he asked.

Madge felt her face get hot. "Most of the night…" Gale takes another bite from the Pop-Tart as Madge groans. "Uh, things got hazy when my mom made her toast." Probably Madge's third cup of wine. "I don't remember really… anything?" Bits and pieces. Dancing with Haymitch. Dancing with _Gale_. Crying at some point with Gale by her side, his hands warm and his words gentle. Then getting out of Gale's car. The elevator ride up. Not much. "What did I do?" she whines.

"You are just an incredible dancer," Gale adlibs quickly. He swore to himself he would address what she mentioned last night, about how she wanted the wedding to be a date too, but suddenly his chest is tight and he's not sure he can. He doesn't want to win this with Madge's drunken choices. He wants the both of them to be sober when they discuss their relationship, and he needs it soon. "Your Cupid Shuffle skills are above and beyond."

"Ugh," Madge frowns. She drinks more of the water Gale left for her. "Thanks for coming. Sorry I—"

"Hey, I had fun," he cuts her off. "It was a big night, I'm glad you enjoyed it." She feels slightly better with his words, and even more so when he smiles again. She doesn't remember much of the night but she does remember _him_. The way he looked at her, the feeling of her hand in his, Gale's presence made her warm. He grabs another Pop-Tart from the box and tosses it in Madge's direction. It lands on her lap with a thud. "I should get going though. I've got some work to do."

"Yeah, of course."

Madge starts unwrapping her breakfast in an awkward silence when Gale pushes himself to stand. "Lunch tomorrow, though?" Her eyes find his and when Madge sees him smiling her heart soars.

"Sure," she nods. He stands and she realizes that he's in his clothes from the wedding still. She hopes he didn't sleep in them. "Thanks again, Gale."

"Anything, Princess."

* * *

Tuesday morning Madge wakes up to texts from Gale that makes her laugh.

_**From Gale – 7:11 AM  
My coffee maker is broken and I have to work until noon**_

_**From Gale – 7:12 AM  
Which means my heart is also broken**_

And when Gale originally sent them he had no expectations for Madge Undersee to show up in his office with a travel mug filled to the brim with his favorite drink filled with the perfect amount of sugar and creamer. He was incredibly drowsy this morning when he sent the texts, simply needing to express his annoyance with someone and she was the first person on his mind. She slides it over the counter with a smile and Gale groans inwardly, wanting to reach across and senselessly kiss her in the middle of the office, not even caring if Alma fires him. He swore to himself he'd talk to Madge about the wedding, how they both wanted it to be a date, but he hasn't been able to bring himself to it, not even two days later.

"I hope you find it satisfactory," Madge tells him, leaning over his desk on her elbows. Not caring that it burns he drinks greedily, lowering the cup with a grin. "Lunch today?" she asks. He nods, still smiling. "They're having that Thanksgiving-type meal in the dining hall by my dorm. It's kind of a walk but it'll be nice, I think. How's that sound?"

"Sounds fine," Gale tells her. "Not really sure how good Capitol's Thanksgiving food will taste," he admits, lifting the mug again, "but if you want, it's fine."

"I just," Madge wrinkles her nose, looking away slightly. "I don't know. I want some form of Thanksgiving. You know?"

He lifts an eyebrow, swallowing more coffee. "No, I don't know. What do you mean _some form_?" She looks incredibly uncomfortable, Gale realizes. Her cheeks are pale and her eyes are focused past him as she gnaws on her bottom lip. "Don't you celebrate Thanksgiving?" Madge lets out a long breath of air, wrinkling her nose again. "You're kidding."

"I—we usually do," Madge finally looks at him. "But Haymitch and Aunt May won't be here this year, because of their honeymoon, and we always go to their house. My dad was going to hire someone to cook for us but my mom talked him out of it because it would be taking someone away from their family during the holiday." Gale watches as she looks away again, a definite sadness in her eyes. "My mom's got a procedure," she adds with a softer voice. "We'll be in the hospital all day anyway. No time to cook."

Before he can think about what Madge has even said Gale's shaking his head. "Come eat with my family," he says.

Madge visibly startles. She leans back from her elbows and places her hands on the counter. "What?"

"We don't have Thanksgiving until early evening." She could spend all morning in the hospital depending on the time of her mother's procedure and then join them just in time to eat. "It's just my family this year," Gale goes on. "We usually have lots of our cousins but it's just us. Ma was complaining about how we're going to have an insane amount of leftovers because she's so used to cooking so much." Madge opens her mouth to protest but he reaches up with his hand that isn't gripping the travel mug and rests it over hers. "I'd just have to let her know."

"Gale…" Madge's lips are parted as she shakes her head, completely unaware of what to say. "I… that's so—" the phone rings suddenly and Gale leaps, removing his hand from hers and reaching for the receiver.

"Housing and Residence Life, this is Gale. How may I help you?" As the person on the other end starts speaking he shoots Madge a sympathetic look. She bites down on her bottom lip to stop from smiling and reaches across the counter, grabbing the mug she brought him so she can take a sip. His stare changes from sympathetic to annoyed despite the smirk on his face. "What's your ID number?" he asks, shifting toward the computer to type. "Casey? Yeah, I've got you here. Just confirm your birthday for me please."

"January 25th," Madge whispers. "April 11th. August—"

"October 4th, got it," Gale says, his eyes on Madge again. "What can I do for you?" Madge takes another drink from the mug and he practically whines, reaching for it with his free hand. Madge passes it back and he takes a sip, lowering it out of her reach so she can't drink anymore. Madge rolls her eyes and his lips quirk upwards. "Uh-huh. It says here the fine is 200, not 250." Gale scratches his chin. "Yeah, the bursar's office can take care of that. I'll transfer you. Is that all? Alright, have a nice day. Thank you." Gale hangs up the phone. "Sorry."

"I'd like that," Madge responds, just as quickly. "To come to your house for Thanksgiving. If you're sure."

"Yeah, yes, _Madge_," Gale smiles. "Of course I'm sure. I'll call home when I get off just to be absolutely positive."

Madge smiles too, so sweetly that Gale can't help but pause. Their eyes find one another's and they fall quiet before Madge brushes a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I should go," she says softly. "Before your boss comes out and yells at you."

Gale agrees, but he wishes she didn't have to. She waves and starts for the door but Gale sits up. "Hey Madge?" he calls. She glances over her shoulder. "Thanks for the coffee."

"See you at lunch," she laughs, waving another time before leaving the room.

* * *

"But it's just a standard treatment?" Katniss asks from her desk. She's working on a paper that's due right before break. "Nothing to worry about?"

"Absolutely," Madge agrees. She's lying in her bed staring at the ceiling. There's probably some English work she can get done but her head's been throbbing for the past few hours and she just took medicine, waiting for it to kick in. "Should be done by noon."

"Are you guys eating after that?" Katniss wonders. "One year my mom went away on a business trip so my dad took us to one of those restaurant buffets. It wasn't too expensive I don't think, maybe you could go to them."

"We're not actually celebrating Thanksgiving this year," Madge murmurs. It's not entirely true, they'll probably all go around in a circle and talk about what they're most thankful for (_she's alive, she's still alive_) and maybe pass around a pie of sorts, but no turkey. "I'm um, I'm actually going to Gale's. He invited me." Katniss stops typing, turning her head slightly in Madge's direction. "He told me sometimes your families eat together."

"We used to, yeah," Katniss nods. "That's… interesting." Madge closes her eyes at to not embrace the awkwardness. "His brother Rory's going to drive you nuts," Katniss warns. "Posy'll probably love you though." _Gale already told me this_, Madge thinks, smiling. "Are you two, uh…"

"No," Madge answers. "No, Katniss."

"Hm." She goes back to working on her paper, the clicking of her keys loud in the now quiet room.

Madge takes a deep breath. "But if I… if I…" she hears the keys stop again and Madge opens her eyes, turning to her side to look at Katniss. "What if I did like him?" Katniss has turned back to her computer, not very good at these sorts of talks. "I know a while back you said he was just trying to sleep with me, but I… I really think we're past that, and…" Madge rubs at her face. "I know you dated him in high school and you're still really good friends. It's important to me what you think."

Katniss can feel that her ears are red despite having no real reason to be embarrassed. "So you do like him, then?"

"Yeah," Madge admits. "A lot, actually." She's still watching Katniss, though Katniss is staring at her computer screen. "Is that… weird?"

"No," Katniss shakes her head. She finally looks at Madge, though their eyes don't really meet. "No, it's not weird. I mean, you can do whatever you want. And you're right, I think he's past that." Madge props herself up on her elbows and smiles at her friend. "I just don't want you to get hurt if he's _not_."

Madge doesn't know that Gale's told Katniss about his feelings, and even though he has Katniss still isn't one hundred percent sure. She loves both Madge and Gale and of _course_ she wants them to work out, but if they don't then there's going to be a lot of awkward situations to embrace and Katniss would end up with her life split in two like at the beginning of freshman year.

"I think I can handle it, Katniss," her friend responds. "Don't… don't say anything to him, okay?"

"Of course not," Katniss agrees. She pulls up the messaging tab on her computer. "Like you said, you can handle it." She's turned back to her computer now, typing while talking. "And I want no part in the weirdness of it." Madge throws her head back in a laugh, feeling relief rushing through her. Meanwhile Katniss is texting.

_From Katniss – 4:32 PM  
Mutual feelings are completely confirmed as of right now_

_**From Peeta – 4:33 PM  
yessssssssssssssss! i told you so!**_

* * *

_A/N: A big thanks to my beta Alys who is so lovely and patient with me when I ask for things speedily, and also a shoutout to NurseKelly for also being part of the reason I'm posting! I get lazy, y'all, keep me pressed! I hope you like the chapter. Who's excited for the next one? (Me!) _


	17. just where it is you want to be

_A/N: Happy Thanksgiving!_

* * *

_and i know i don't know much  
but i know that a man feels many things_

* * *

Madge's morning was longer than she expected it to be. They had to wake up early to get to the hospital and it wasn't as though she and her father could sit with her mom during the procedure. Madge would've caught up on her sleep but the pleather hospital seats were uncomfortable, so she spent most of Thanksgiving morning on Twitter reading everything on The Slag Heap's account. Many of her friends texted her and wished her a happy holiday and she returned the gesture, especially thanking those who wished her mother well on the procedure this morning. And as the hours passed Madge got more and more nervous about going to Gale's.

He'd texted her the address the night previous and still seemed pretty cool about it, which was a relief but also made her anxious. She was meeting his _family_, which was either a big step for their potential relationship or a confirmation of their friendship. And nothing more. Not that Madge believes in the friend-zone, because it _is not a real thing_, but either she's headed to a place of strong friendship or someone's making a move.

Still, when he texted her that morning her heart raced in her chest.

_**From Gale – 10:19 PM  
See you soon**_

"I say he likes you," her father chimes. Madge hides her phone against her chest and shoots him a look. He grins sheepishly, he's always been a little nosy. "Sorry. Didn't mean to look." Madge gnaws on her bottom lip and texts Gale back, admitting she's excited to see him. "Make your move, Sweetheart."

"Dad," Madge laughs loudly, shaking her head. "No. That would be horribly embarrassing if it went wrong. I mean I'm going to be at his _house_. With his _family_."

"Well, gauge the situation and go from there!" Madge continues to laugh, telling her father that he's being ridiculous and there's nothing there, but she can't deny that _maybe_ there is something there and _maybe_ she really is going to make a move depending on how things play out.

Around noon they let Mrs. Undersee have visitors so the two go into her hospital room. Mrs. Undersee feels sick but she lets the two of them pass around a piece of pumpkin pie, eating forkfuls as they laugh about things that are unimportant. No one mentions that this is probably Mrs. Undersee's last Thanksgiving, and for that they're all thankful.

* * *

The drive is a lot shorter than Madge expected. Gale doesn't live too far from her, just a few counties over. In fact their high schools actually raced against each other in some track events back when she ran, so the area isn't all that unfamiliar. In fact, they probably crossed paths a few times without even realizing it.

Her GPS tells her she's arrived so Madge stops the car and double checks the address, taking a deep breath and checking herself in the mirror. She texted Gale that she was on her way but never received a response so that's a little nerve-wracking, but after a few more deep breaths she climbs out of her car and makes her way to the house.

After a few knocks and a moment of awkwardly waiting, the door swings open and in the doorway is a man that's at least a few inches taller than Gale. Madge has to lean back to look into his eyes – piercing and gray like the ones she's grown to love over the past few months. This man's beard is fully grown out and he has crow's feet around his eyes. His smile is nice and wide. "Hello," he leans backwards a bit. "Are you lost, ma'am?" Madge opens her mouth and closes it, nerves erupting in her stomach. Did Gale not tell his family he invited her? That doesn't make sense. Or maybe she's at the wrong house?

"I'm looking for the Hawthorne's house," Madge forces out. His eyes narrow a bit but his smile stays wide. "Um, Gale invited me? I'm Madge."

He extends his hand to her and Madge lets out the breath she'd been holding in, accepting his handshake with a little laugh. "This is the Hawthorne's, yes," he says. "You can call me Asher. Gale told us he invited a friend but _Dios mío _I never thought you'd be so pretty. Come on in, Sweetheart." He steps out of the way and ushers for Madge to follow. It takes her a moment because she's blushing uncontrollably but finally she steps inside. "Hazelle," he calls. "_¡Gale's novia está aquí!_" He looks over his shoulder at Madge who shuffles on her feet. "Do you speak Spanish?" he asks.

"No," she shakes her head.

He smirks, a look Madge has seen on Gale's face more than once. "Ah, we'll have to cut down on it then." Madge hears a pitter-patter of footsteps and looks down the hall. "Gale's in the shower," he tells her. "Probably'll be out in a few minutes. In the meantime—"

"Holy shit!" A boy a bit shorter than Gale with incredibly noodle-like arms and a wide eyes appears in front of them.

"_Language_, Rory," the man frowns.

"_Lo siento_, _Papa_," Rory fumbles for words, eventually just thrusting out his arm. "Nice to meet you. Madge, is it?"

"Hi, yeah," she shakes his hand and he grins, exchanging a look with Gale. "Nice to meet you too."

"I can take your jacket," Rory tells her. Madge transfers her phone to her back pocket and shakes off the jacket, passing it over to him. "I can go harass Gale for you too," he says, speeding away. Madge turns and finds two more kids, both smaller than the last.

"This is Vick, Posy," Asher introduces them. The little girl is grinning, her eyes wide and bright as she looks up at Madge in astonishment. "And my wife—_Hazelle_!"

"_¡Ya voy!" _Hazelle yells before popping her head out of the kitchen. Her eyes widen much like everyone else's had. "Oh. Oh! You're Gale's friend?"

"I—yes," Madge steps forward, extending her hand. "Yes, I'm Madge." Unlike Asher, Hazelle leaps forward and pulls her into a tight hug. "Oh," Madge gasps in surprise but hugs her back. "Hi."

"It's so nice to have you!" Hazelle smiles as she pulls back. "When Gale said a friend from school was coming we just assumed it was going to be Thom, or maybe Bristel. Gale didn't tell us his _girlfriend_ was coming—"

"Oh, oh no," Madge stops her immediately. "No, we're just friends. Gale's just a friend." Madge steps back awkwardly, her cheeks burning. "We—my family isn't celebrating this year so he invited me—thank you so much by the way for letting me come—we're just, Gale's just—"

"Gale's just what?" Madge hears. She turns and finds him striding into the kitchen a smile on his face. "Hey," he cheers. His hair is still wet from his shower, his shirt crooked as though he hastily tugged something on. Gale had just gotten out when Rory was banging on his door. _She's hot, _Rory was saying. _Holy shit, Gale! _He scrambled to get dressed before his family could mortify her. Gale rushes forward and pulls her into his arms. Before Madge knows it her face is in his chest and he's crushing her against his body. She can smell his body wash and she temporarily forgets that his family's in the room—Madge melts into him with a sigh. The hustle and bustle of the Hawthorne residence has already wrapped her up, but his presence calms her. "You're here," he murmurs. Her own arms link behind his back and he squeezes her closer. "It's so great you could make it," he tells her, leaning away and still smiling. "You never gave a time. I only just saw your texts, I wouldn't have gotten in the shower if I'd known."

"It's okay," Madge quiets him. "I wasn't really sure when I'd leave the hospital."

"Well I'm glad you're here," he says, pulling her into a hug again. "Here—Ma, do you need help with dinner?"

"No, no," she smiles at the two of them as they part. Madge feels her cheeks warming. "You two go on—I'll call you when it's ready."

"Here, I'll give you the tour," Gale grins, pulling Madge from the kitchen. As they walk away Gale looks over his shoulder. "C'mon, Posy, you can come too."

* * *

Gale's home is small but cozy, whereas Madge's large house is large and drafty. There are photos donning all of the walls and Madge lingers on the ones of Gale in high school, his graduation cap on his head and his smile wide. Gale watches her with his heart beating rapidly in his chest, loving the wonder in her eyes and still amazed that she's even here. Posy at six years old follows them around, constantly asking Madge question after question, effectively distracting her from her mom's procedure this morning.

"You go to school with Gale?" _Yes I do_. "That's so neat! He goes to school _way _far from here. Do you drive?" _I drove here, yes. _"Even cooler! Wow! Does that mean you've flown places before too? Like across the country?" _I have traveled, actually, yes_. "Have you ever been to England? I want to go there. They talk in fancy accents, _like this_." Madge laughs as Posy mimics a British accent and even Gale chuckles a little.

"Talk like the queen, Pose," he tells her.

Posy giggles, "Ooh, yes, I love _scones_." Madge throws her head back in a laugh and Gale grins, feeling like this is a victory. Posy goes straight back to asking Madge questions. Favorite color? Who's your best friend? Who's your favorite member of One Direction? The list is seemingly endless.

The way Madge is so patient and kind with her only makes Gale's heart swell more. If Posy would leave them alone for even a fraction of a second he would kiss her. He's going to, he's decided. Today at some point. When he gets the chance.

When Hazelle calls them for dinner Madge gets the seat next to him. They all pray before eating and the family has side conversations in Spanish before Vick reminds them politely that Madge can't partake, and from that point Asher and Hazelle make an effort to ask her questions about herself. The questions are much more in depth than Posy's, asking her about what she's studying and where she wants to go with it, things like that. More than once Gale gets kicked by Rory under the table because he's staring and Gale shoots him a look. They communicate in facial expressions for a long time before Hazelle tells them to stop.

"So why didn't your boyfriend invite you to dinner?" Rory asks as they finish off their plates.

Madge's face burns and she nearly chokes on the water she's drinking. "I don't have a boyfriend, Rory," Madge answers.

"You're _kidding_," Rory fakes astonishment.

"You could probably date Gale," Posy says as though it's the most obvious solution in the world. "I mean he invited you here."

"_Al_right," Asher cuts her off with a laugh, grinning in Hazelle's direction. Gale's face is hot, too. "That Charlie Brown special you like is on in the basement, Pose," he tells her. "No dish duty for you tonight." Posy pushes herself from the table and quickly runs for the stairs, leaving the table quickly. "Have you enjoyed your meal, Madge?" he asks, effectively changing the subject.

"Oh, absolutely," Madge nods. "My aunt usually cooks and I love her to death but everything is so plain. I especially loved the _panes de pollo. _I hope I pronounced that right." Gale's staring at her again, he realizes, his lips parted slightly in astonishment. "Do you want me to help with dishes?" she asks. It feels like she should do _something_ to show them how grateful she is for letting her have dinner with them. "I can. It's really no trouble."

"No," Hazelle and Asher answer at the same time. "No, you and Gale should be together," Hazelle goes on. Gale arches an eyebrow at his mother as they excuse themselves from the table. "I'll call you two for dessert, but entertain yourselves until then!" When Madge excuses herself from the table Hazelle winks in Gale's direction, causing his entire face to burn.

* * *

Gale and Madge head up to Gale's room after they leave. Gale sits on the edge of his mattress while Madge browses his room, remarking about how _clean_ it is and laughing at an old picture from high school. She's halfway across the room when she turns to him, smiling gently.

"What?" Gale asks, laughter in the ends of his voice.

"Nothing," she shakes her head. "Just… thank you. For today." Gale smirks a little before tipping his head, motioning for her to join him on the bed. Madge paces over to take the seat. "I adore your family. They're so… _fun_."

"I'm glad you could come," Gale responds as she sits. The bed squeaks under her weight. "Sorry about, uh, Rory…" he starts, causing Madge to laugh and shake her head. "He's… a lot."

"He's fun," Madge says. "No need to apologize."

They fall silent after that for a moment, Madge's eyes darting to Gale's lips more than once. He looks away then to lick them and clears his throat. "You know, Madge," Gale takes a deep breath. "I know we didn't used to be close. But you're… I'm really glad that you're here." He turns to look at her now, her eyes wider than before. "With you I just—"

Instantly he feels her hands on his cheeks and then his lips are warm. Gale's mind goes hazy as she kisses him, she kisses him, she's _kissing him_. Her hands fall away almost at once, Madge only intended for it to be quick, but Gale's pressing forward, his own hands swinging up to hold her close. Madge's lips split into a smile as his hand holds her hip and the other her cheek. With him pressing forward Madge falls backwards onto the bed and drags him with her. Gale switches his kisses to rapid pecks which causes Madge to laugh and him to pull away. Her hands are against his chest but not necessarily pushing him, just holding him above her. Gale drops his forehead to hers as his eyes search hers.

"This okay?" he breathes.

"Uh-huh," Madge nods as she grins. Gale's own lips stretch into a smile and he laughs, leaning in to kiss her again. "_Gale_," Madge gasps for air but he doesn't relent, having waited too long to just stop all of a sudden. His mouth finds her jaw and burns kisses down her throat. He leans forward more, pressing his body against hers as she fists the sheets of his bed. They ignore the way the bed creaks, hopefully not loud enough to alert anyone to anything, and Madge groans into his mouth.

Soon her hands leave the sheets to find his hair. She drags her fingers through in attempt to pull him closer, closer, closer. His lips are soft and know what to do—something Madge has always been vaguely aware of when they'd kissed before but allows herself to get lost in it now. Beside his hair she reaches up under his shirt, tracing her hands along his spine as he groans into her mouth.

Gale isn't sure how long it is but sooner or later their kisses slow, from the frantic peppering and grabbing at one another to gentle, sensual ones. They're both breathing heavily but they don't relent. Their hands find skin, slipping under shirts to really feel one another, and they latch together. Madge throws one of her legs over him and more than once Gale grinds against her with a groan in his throat. Soon enough they heart footsteps and yelling but for both of them it's distant.

Only when he hears it in Spanish does it filter through Gale's head. "_¡Postre está listo!" _He pulls back and looks toward his bedroom door, incredibly grateful that no one's walked in on them.

"Dessert's ready," he breathes. Madge drops her head backwards with a laugh and then he laughs too, sitting up slowly. One look at her and Gale wants to melt again but he knows his family is waiting so they've got to go downstairs. Her hair is a tangled mess and her shirt is disheveled and her lips are swollen. He can bet the same goes for him as well. After a moment of catching her breath Madge sits up too. "We're gonna talk about this," Gale tells her as they stand. "Alright?"

"Ay, ay, Captain," Madge teases. He stops her before they reach the door and slides his hands around her hips. "Sorry," she breathes, thinking he might be mad about this nickname, but then he kisses her again. "Mm. Okay."

"Okay," Gale echoes breathily.

"_Gale!" _Posy shouts.

"_Ya voy, _Posy!" he calls back. Gale kisses her one last time before they leave his room and descend the staircase. If anyone notices that Madge's cheeks are flushed or that Gale keeps licking his lips they don't make it known. But when Hazelle and Asher share a look that Gale catches he frowns at them despite having his hand on Madge's knee under the table.

"Hmmm?" Rory catches the look and grins wickedly before looking in Gale's direction. "_¿__Qué hiciste?_" Gale narrows his eyes in his brother's direction and Rory stays defiant.

"_Déjalo,_ Rory," Asher warns moments after Rory starts making kissy noises, waggling his eyebrows and causing Madge's entire face to heat up. She doesn't need to understand Spanish to know what _that_ means. "_Lo siento_, Madge, I apologize for my son who's getting a lot of extra dishes to clean tonight."

"_Papa,_" Rory groans. "I'm not the one—"

"_Don't_," Gale stops his brother before he can start, and then Rory snickers again. Gale turns his head toward Madge and murmurs an apology, his thumb brushing her knee, but she shakes her head and looks toward her plate.

"Gale," Hazelle starts. "_¿__Qué le besas?_"

"_Ma,_" Gale nearly whines. "_Basta, por favor._"

"_Dios mío, _I'm so happy!" Hazelle cheers. Gale sinks backwards in his seat and Asher shoots Gale an apologetic look. "She's so beautiful, and so, so kind, Gale!" Madge's blush deepens, confirming that they've been talking about her, but she smiles anyway and a little laugh escapes her. "Madge, you are truly a treasure!"

"Oh," Madge exhales, shaking her head. "Thank you," she murmurs. She lifts her hand and rests it atop Gale's own and he looks at her sympathetically. She tries to convey with her face that it's okay, that she's too deliriously happy to be _too_ embarrassed, so when he smiles at her she thinks he must understand. "Um, thank you all for being so great to me tonight."

"Some more than others," Rory smirks, waggling his eyebrows.

"_Rory_," Asher warns.

"Just saying!"

* * *

After many goodbyes and a few Tupperware containers full of Thanksgiving food and a _lot_ of hugs from the Hawthorne family, Gale finally walks Madge outside. It's dark by this point, the sun having set quite a while back, and the air is cool. He tangles their fingers together for the short walk to her car and then pulls her close after she loads the car with the leftovers. Without saying anything he cups her cheeks and kisses her as gently as he can. Even though it's short and sweet Madge is still breathless. When they part Gale presses his forehead to hers as her eyes flutter open.

"I'm glad you came tonight," he whispers.

Her lips quirk upwards. "Me too."

Gale kisses her again, trying to make up for lost time. "I am _so_ sorry about my family. That was—"

"It's fine," Madge says with a laugh, cutting him off. "It was funny."

Gale sighs in relief and leans in again. Against her lips he murmurs, "I really like you."

Madge lets out a breathy laugh. "Me too. But you." He laughs with her and slowly lowers his hands. "I should go," she tells him. He agrees but wishes she didn't have to. "You can still pick me up Sunday?"

"Absolutely." The car ride back to school is hopefully going to focus on where they go from here. "Text me when you get home so I know you're safe?"

"Absolutely," she echoes. Madge is the one to kiss him this time, pressing on her tiptoes so their lips can meet. Like earlier as she moves away Gale leans forward, lengthening the kiss. Soon they forget that it's chilly outside and they don't consider that his whole family might be pressed against the window to watch them and they just lose themselves in each other. Gale backs her against the car and she moans into his mouth. "Got to go," she whines as her hands latch onto his shirt.

"Mm," he frowns but nods, trying to step away despite the way she holds him close. "Okay. Alright." Finally her hands release and he steps back a lot. "Happy Thanksgiving."

Madge laughs, pressing her hands to her face as she nods. "Yeah. It was. I mean. You too. Thanks for everything tonight Gale. Honestly. Not just the—"

"I get it," he laughs. Before she can climb into her car Gale strides forward again, kissing her one last time. "Sorry," he exhales. "I—fuck." Another kiss against her smiling lips. "Okay." He steps away for good this time, leaving a blushing grinning Madge to get into her car. "Drive safe," he reminds her. "Text me."

"You know I will," she says back.

After he watches her drive away Gale goes back inside to find all his family by the window. He lifts an eyebrow at them. "_¿En serio?_" he asks.

"You kissed her a lot," Posy states. Gale throws his head back in a laugh, too overwhelmed with happiness to even be angry.

Twenty minutes later when he gets a text from Madge that she's home safe he collapses backwards in his bed with the biggest smile on his face. It might've taken a while but things are exactly where he wants them to be.

Back at the Undersee home Madge leans backwards against her door after sending the text. She sighs and smiles, her face feeling like it's going to split in half from how big her grins have been. The air shifts and Madge turns, finding her father sitting in the living room. His eyebrows life in an unasked question and a laugh bubbles out of her.

"Hi Daddy." Madge kicks off her shoes at the door and slowly paces over. "I brought leftovers." Her father sits up and reaches for the containers she's carrying to lighten her load. "How was the rest of your night?"

"My night was fine," he laughs, standing as they start for the kitchen to put everything away. "How was yours?"

Madge is completely unable to stop her smile. "It was really, really good." After a short moment of silence she adds, "_Really_ good."

"That makes me really, really, happy, sweetheart," Mr. Undersee smiles. "So you made your move then?" She nods immediately and the smile stays on his face. "Good. He's a great boy, Madgey." They load the refrigerator with the containers and he turns to her, smiling gently. "Your mother is going to want to know everything, you know."

Madge giggles, nodding her head. "I know, Daddy." And she doesn't even care.

* * *

_A/N: Hi friends! I promise this is not an April Fools joke hahaha. Finally! I wrote this _entire story _based off of this Thanksgiving chapter, I'm so happy to finally get to post it! I hope you like reading it as much as I loved writing it. Hope you're having a wonderful day! _

_The conversation the Hawthorne's have at the table is more or less Rory asking what's happened, Asher telling him to knock it off, and Hazelle asking if Gale kissed Madge to which he responds, enough, please! *smoochy noises* _


	18. you're just so simple and sweet

_but if things get complicated  
don't worry we gonna take it slow_

* * *

When Gale picks Madge up Sunday afternoon so he can drive her back to school, both of her parents are waiting outside. Madge rushes to the car so he doesn't have to get out but Mrs. Undersee waves enthusiastically from her wheelchair in the doorway and blows kisses in Gale's direction. He laughs, waving back at her parents with a steady composure. Madge throws her things into the back seat and climbs up front.

"Hey," he exhales as she buckles up.

"Hi," Madge returns. Her eyes are bright but they both sit awkwardly, half leaned without really being sure if they should kiss. In the end it doesn't happen. "You should, um," she motions to the road and he nods, shifting the car into drive. They both wave to her parents before he pulls out of the driveway.

And then it gets quiet.

They've been texting all weekend but despite Gale's statement _we're going to talk about this_, they really haven't. During the ride the radio gets turned on and they stay mostly silent, making small talk and singing along to whatever song plays.

Capitol is only about five minutes away when Madge can't take it anymore.

"I thought we were going to talk about it," she blurts. Gale turns to look at her before he has to put his eyes on the road again. "I can't pretend that Thanksgiving didn't happen."

"I don't want to pretend like it didn't happen," Gale responds just as quickly. "We _should_ talk about it. I don't—I don't know where to begin." Madge nods and he sighs, taking the final exit that will get them back to campus. Every time she opens her mouth to press him forward, to get more answers, she can't figure out what to say. They're quiet the final few minutes before he pulls to a stop in one of the faculty parking lots. Gale shifts the gar into park and unbuckles, turning to look at her. "Let's talk about it," he says. Madge nods, but no words come out, so Gale decides he's got to be the one to start it. "I haven't _seriously_ dated anyone in a pretty long time, Madge." He keeps his eyes on her. "And, _honestly, _I'm terrified I'm going to fuck this up somehow. But I want to be with you."

She reaches across the console and grabs his hand. "I want to be with _you_," she echoes. Madge knows how he used to be, how many people he's been with, but she knows he's different now. She's seen firsthand that he's not the same, and she trusts him despite his reputation. "I haven't dated anyone for a while either, Gale. I don't think that means you'll fuck it up." He laughs a little, his lips curling upwards. "So what… where do we go from here, then?"

Gale thinks for a second. "I want to take you on a date."

Her face lights up, "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Tuesday."

"Oh _God_," she laughs. "That's Katniss and Peeta's date night." Gale laughs too, turning her hands over in his. "We'll have to pick a different day." That way they can have the room to themselves Tuesday nights. "What about Mondays? Or Wednesdays?"

"Thursdays?"

"What's wrong with Mondays or Wednesdays?" she asks.

Gale laughs a little. "Just trying to keep our options open, Princess." He leans across the console then, reaching up to cup her cheeks. "Monday," Gale tells her.

"Tomorrow?" she breathes. His lips are so close to hers. He nods. "Okay." Gale closes the distance between them, kissing her gently. She responds eagerly and he smiles. "What time?"

"Is six okay?"

"Six is perfect." Madge lifts her hands to his cheeks as well. "Do we want to define this?" she asks. They're still awkwardly leaning over the console but he presses his forehead to hers anyway. "Or wait until after the date?"

"What if the date goes horribly?" Gale asks, only sort of joking, and his smile blossoms when she laughs and kisses him. "Mm…" he wants to pull her into his seat, her legs falling around his hips, his hands sliding up her shirt. Maybe tomorrow. "Let's wait until after the date. Just to be sure, you know?"

"Does that mean you have another date _tonight_?"

"Madge!" he laughs, pulling her closer and peppering her with kisses.

They're down in the empty parking lot for a _long_ time before he finally takes her to her dorm.

* * *

When Katniss shows up that afternoon Madge nearly wants to explode with the news, but she doesn't want to overwhelm her. So Madge makes small talk for a little bit, asking Katniss about her Thanksgiving and telling her about her dinner at Gale's and all about his siblings, which causes Katniss to laugh.

"Speaking of Gale," Madge starts. "He's taking me out tomorrow. And he kissed me. More than once." Katniss whirls around from where she's unpacking her suitcase and lifts her eyebrows high on her forehead. "Surprise!"

"It's about freaking time," Katniss returns. Madge doesn't know what to say to that. Katniss smiles and leans backwards against the dresser. "He's liked you for a while. And I'm not the best at keeping secrets. Peeta, either."

"Wait, Peeta knew?"

"Oh, yeah," Katniss nods. _That traitor_, Madge thinks. He should have told her! "Us and Gale went to lunch with him like, months ago. Peeta was pretending to be all tough like he does sometimes. All of that _you're gonna treat her right_ crap." Madge feels her face start to burn, she can't even imagine how Gale dealt with that conversation. "It was really awkward." She doesn't doubt that. Gale and Katniss, the two most stubborn people she knows, talking about _feelings_ with Peeta Mellark? "Anyway, just be careful. You two are my best friends."

"Thanks, Katniss," Madge responds. It might not be much, but Madge appreciates her approval regardless.

* * *

Monday night when Gale picks her up, she's not really sure what to expect. _Dress warm_, he'd texted her, so she's outfitted herself in her favorite scarf and a fitting jacket. It's not too terribly cold out but it _is_ December, so if the wind picks up it's sure to be horrendous. He has the heat on in his Jeep when he picks her up and this time they bend across the cup holder to kiss in greeting. "Hey," he smiles.

"Hey," she returns. And thank God they had their talk, because the awkwardness from their previous car ride is gone as they drive.

Madge asks him about work this morning and he tells her about this one parent who called in and yelled at him for about half an hour despite the fact _her daughter_ was the one to get an alcohol citation. And Gale asks her about class and she tells him that she's more than ready for finals because only a few classes are teaching new things and she just wants to be on break already. The only difference between their friendship and _this_ is that every now and then he'll look over at Madge and smile in a way that makes both of them feel warm.

"So where are you taking me?" Madge finally asks.

"It's a surprise."

"It's a surprise?" she echoes, looking out the window. "Can I guess?" Gale shrugs as Madge tries to take in the surroundings. She's been going to school at Capitol for a year and a half now and her family used to come all the time when she was little. "Well we'll be outdoors, obviously." Madge tries to remember all of the outdoor places that she could go at night. "Is it a garden of sorts?"

"Nope."

"Hmm…" Madge racks her brain and comes up flat, suddenly unable to think of anything that's outside. "Are we going to a… field?"

Gale throws his head back in a laugh. His voice is nothing but sarcastic, "Yeah, Undersee, I'm taking you to _a field_." He pulls off on a road. "We're almost there so you'll have to stop guessing." Madge pouts but Gale shakes his head, not going to reveal this surprise. Ever since he'd found out this place was so close to Capitol he's gone every year, he couldn't wait to take Madge too. Gale pulls into a pretty large parking lot that is filled with a lot of cars. "Almost there," he tells her as he turns the car off.

"Oh, so we're not just going to this parking lot, then?" she teases. Gale rolls his eyes as they slipped out of the car together. There's a hustle and bustle of people around them, something Madge considers a little strange for a Monday night but doesn't want to question it. "Follow the crowd?" she asks. Gale tips his head, and away they go. For a while they're quiet. Gale keeps glancing over at her and looking away before she realizes as they take the sidewalk down the street. More than once Madge catches his eye. Finally she asks, "Why do you keep looking at me like that?" Madge asks. Her eyes are light and Gale doesn't remember the last time he's smiled so much. Her elbow bumps his. "Hm?" He shakes his head, embarrassed by his own thoughts, and she rolls her eyes. "_Gale_," she presses.

"I was wondering if you were opposed to holding hands," he finally murmurs, looking away so she doesn't catch the unusual red on his cheeks. Before he knows it Gale feels her fingers tangling with his and he looks back. She smiles at him and he laughs, readjusting their hands. "Unopposed, I see."

"I mean I'm not big on the whole PDA thing," Madge admits as he pulls her close. "But this isn't that. Gross public making out is not on my to-do list."

"Guess I'll cross that one off the list tonight," Gale tells her, resulting in a laugh. He's not a big public displays of affection sort of person either. Maybe a quick kiss or something. But he's seen Thom and Delly go at each other in the hallways of one of the campus buildings more than once and he was _definitely_ not the only person who was uncomfortable. They take another turn down the city street and stop. "Here we are."

Madge is frozen. Back in the recess of her mind she remembers when she was little her parents would take her here into the city for this very sight, but she hadn't been in so long she forgot that it existed. There's a row of townhomes in the middle of the city that, every year around Christmas time, go full on display mode. Each house is decorated with bright lights, some colored some not, but all of them breathtaking. There are vendors in the middle of the road (which has been closed so people can walk through) that are selling snacks and hot chocolate, and all around them people surge back and forth to get a better view of all the decorations.

Finally Gale tugs on her hand, pulling her forward with a smile. She blinks back into focus and returns the grin. "Surprised?"

"I forgot this place existed," Madge tells him. 16th Street in downtown Panem is one of the biggest holiday attractions on the east coast. They've got a website and everything. "It's beautiful!"

"Mm," he agrees. They stroll hand in hand down the row of houses. Some of them have opened their doors and have exhibits inside while others have gates across the porches to keep out tourists. As they observe the colored lights Gale will point out a few things every now and then. "Look at that Santa," he says, extending his hand toward the creepiest animatronic Santa Madge has ever seen. A laugh bubbles out of her and Gale grins. "Think someone will take a photo of us with it?"

"Definitely, someone will." She digs her phone out of her back pocket and spins around to find a young girl, maybe about 13, "Excuse me?" The girl smiles. "Can you take a photo of us with this Santa?"

"Of course!"

After taking the photo with the creepy Santa, Madge and Gale travel down the row of houses. Madge marvels at the multicolored lights and Gale sings along with the Christmas tunes someone's playing under his breath. They stop for hot chocolate but agree to share one cup instead of getting two, it's not the best considering it's made with water and not milk but it is warm and sweet. After throwing the cup away they walk a bit more, weaving their way through the crowds that have stopped at this house or that.

By the time they reach the end and have to turn around Madge has pulled herself closer. "I think the creepy animatronic Santa is my favorite part," she tells him. "It's like, Christmas-y, but at the same time totally terrifying." Gale's slowed down and she looked up at him. "What?"

His voice is soft, "Can I kiss you?"

The blush that blooms on her cheeks causes his heart to burst, and then they meet half way. Gale laughs into the kiss and Madge pulls back after just a second. "You don't have to ask," she tells him with a ridiculously happy smile on her face.

"Well, you said you weren't one for PDA, I wasn't sure of the limit. And I know how important it is to you to be in charge of yourself. I didn't want to kiss you if you—" she presses herself onto her toes to kiss him again, her hand reaching up to tangle in his hair. "Mmm." He pins his forehead to hers once she pulls away.

"We should get out of here," Madge murmurs. She already told him public making out wasn't on her list but she _definitely_ wants to make out with him. His dark eyes make her think he wants the same.

His eyebrows lift. "Is this going that poorly?" She kisses him again and Gale can't even try to swallow his smile. "M'kay. Let's go."

* * *

Madge might not be one for public displays of affection, but when they get to his Jeep clearly anything is fair game. Her cold hands run under his shirt and up his back as he presses her into the leather seats in the back. His lips are warm, his kisses burn her skin. "You know, I have a bed," he manages to get out as he's suckling down her throat. Hopefully she gets what he's hinting at. "It's probably a lot more comfortable."

"Mm," Madge throws her head back and hits the door handle. "Ow."

"Told you," Gale laughs as she reaches back to rub the tender spot. "You okay?" she nods and they both shift to sit up. "Or we could figure out what we're doing?" he asks, his voice softening. Because as much as Gale enjoys making out with Madge Undersee in the back of his Jeep, it isn't all he wants.

She nods, her eyes focusing past him. He shifts backwards onto his knees as Madge sits up as well, looking back to him. The mood settles and though their skin is still burning their voices are soft. "I like you," she says quietly. "I don't want to be with anyone else."

"Me neither," he exhales. Gale's been a few open relationships and they always made him feel sick – and he would never want that with Madge. "I know I've—in the past I've been flighty, I guess is the word."

"Promiscuous," Madge murmurs.

"Hey," he nudges her with his elbow as his lips curl into a smile. But she still looks somber, so his smile fades a bit. "Okay. I've been around a lot too." Gale reaches forward, cupping her cheek. "But that's not what I want. I want you. I want to be with _you_." Again her eyes find his and he lifts his eyebrow. "Okay? Peeta already gave me that stupid _what are your intentions_ talk."

"Well," she leans a bit closer, "what _are_ your intentions, Gale Hawthorne?"

"My intentions, _Madge Undersee_, are to make you happy," he whispers back. Gale presses his lips to hers and she smiles. "And to date the crap out of you." She snorts and he kisses her again, his own mouth stretching into a grin. "I want to be with you and only you. I want what we have now and more." He brushes his thumb across her cheek. "I want to be your boyfriend, and you to be my girlfriend, alright?"

"I want that too," she whispers. But making things Facebook Official right away isn't necessary. He kisses her again and smiles. "Mm…" she laughs and Gale presses her backwards into the car door.

"So my place?" he asks, his breath hot against her skin.

Madge exhales, dropping her head against the down. "I can't. I've got some readings for class I should do."

He frowns, "Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh," she nods. Madge trails her fingers across his cheeks. "And I—I don't want this to go too fast." Gale kisses her another time. "Is that okay?" He nods before pinning his forehead to hers. "You sure?"

"Yeah, Madge," Gale's still nodding, his lips still close to hers. "Whatever you want."

* * *

"You've _got_ to be kidding me!" Madge groans loudly and drops her head into her hands, causing Katniss to whirl around from her desk to look at her friend. There's a little more groaning before Katniss clears her throat quietly, and then Madge sighs loudly. "Sorry. Sorry."

"What's wrong?"

"My advisor just sent me the course path I need to follow if I want to graduate on time." Madge tugs on her hair before sighing another time, and then glances over her shoulder in Katniss's direction. "I've got to take practically six classes a semester." Madge returns her gaze to her computer. "Seven in spring."

"_Seven classes_?" Katniss leaps to her feet and strides across the small space to Madge's side, looking down at her screen. Her eyes scan the words for a bit before she shakes her head. "_Mierda, _Madge."

"Shit is right," Madge murmurs. It's not that she doesn't think she won't be able to handle it, with five classes now and ample amount of free time Madge has always been pretty good at balancing school work and life, she just doesn't _want_ to. "I can look at that website to see which professors are easiest," Madge goes on, clicking through tabs to pull the website up. "Night classes once a week aren't horrible, I could take a few of them."

"What about summer classes?" Katniss asks. "You'd only have to take two or three."

"Internship," Madge reminds her. Every summer her dad sets up this gig in a local business for her to get experience in the field. This summer she's hoping to work in one of the schools YMCAs or something similar. It looks great on a resume and they're the highlight of her summers. "And it's too late to sign up for winter break classes." Madge drops her head back into her hands.

Most people in the major Madge just signed up for have been on the steady path since freshman year. Because she was undecided she took so many classes that weren't necessarily relevant to elementary education. Madge has no one to blame but herself. She pulls out her phone and sends a quick text.

_From Madge – 4:36 PM  
Next semester isn't looking to great…_

_From Madge – 4:36 PM  
I have to take seven classes…_

_**From Gale – 4:37 PM  
Are you kidding? Fuck**_

_**From Gale – 4:37 PM  
Ill ask around about easy professors just send me courses**_

With a breath of relief about Gale not entirely freaking out, Madge sends him the list of classes. Their date was absolutely wonderful. He dropped her off at her dorm like planned (and after a whole lot more kissing) and Madge was all smiles the rest of the night, and the next day. When Katniss and Peeta went out for date night of their own Gale came over and they watched Lost together, surprisingly not kissing as often as Madge thought.

Things with Gale, though it's still early, are really great. To Madge it just feels like an addition onto their friendship, less hesitancy when it comes to sharing secrets or intimate things, and definitely less hesitation on physical intimacy. And that was what she wanted with him, for their relationship as friends to just be stronger, to have that addition that a romantic relationship has without ruining what they'd built beforehand.

Peeta is relentless in his teasing but Madge can't say she's annoyed. She's on cloud 9 and happier than she has been in a long time.

_**From Gale – 4:46 PM  
Bristels had a few of these classes Ill talk to her tonight**_

_From Madge – 4:47 PM  
Can I come over tonight too?_

_**From Gale – 4:47 PM  
Absolutely **_

* * *

With Bristel on the couch opposite the one Gale and Madge are sitting on as she frantically texts her education friends to ask about classes, Madge is scrolling through the _rate my professor_ website.

"That one," Gale slides his hand from around her waist to point at the screen. "He's rated a 4.6 That's really good. Click him." They groan together when they see that he's retired. "Hey, hey," he bends down and nuzzles into her neck, kissing her clavicle. "It'll all work out. Okay?" Madge frowns, hitting the backspace button and continuing to scroll through possible professors. "Madge, it'll be fine," he murmurs.

"I had to take seven classes once," Bristel pipes up from across the room. Gale resettles his arm around Madge's waist and she leans into his side. "On top of volleyball practice. It was death."

Madge frowns, "Thanks."

"Well," Bristel stops with a laugh, "it was death because of practice. Madge if you get this all sorted out it can be an incredibly easy schedule, even if there are seven classes."

She could take a few Monday Wednesday Friday classes, those are the shortest time wise. The disadvantage of those is having class _on Fridays_, but it's totally manageable. A few Tuesday Thursday classes, maybe one Monday Wednesday. They're both a little longer, an hour and fifteen minutes each compared to the fifty minutes of the MWF classes, but only twice a week. Add in some night classes, though they can be a straight two hours and forty minutes it's only once a week and professors usually let people out early.

Madge clicks through her tabs and pulls up her _ideal schedule_ chart. "No Monday night classes," Gale whispers. Madge cocks an eyebrow at him and he smirks. "Date night." Madge laughs a little and redirects her gaze to her laptop.

Suddenly Bristel calls out, "Mom?" Gale and Madge look up to find her on the phone. "No, I'm in the middle of something." She makes an apologetic face at the two of them and starts for the kitchenette. "No, it's fine, what's up?"

With the room to themselves Madge sighs, turning to look at Gale. "I'm sorry," she tells him.

"For what?"

"I mean," she sighs again and leans forward, putting her laptop on the coffee table. "This is new. You and me. And I don't—I don't want it to get ruined because I have to take a billion classes and write a billion papers." Gale shifts and pulls Madge's hips so he's facing her head on. "It's just, it's gonna be a lot harder to find free time, and—"

"Hey, stop," he shakes his head. "We've been dating all of, what, four days?" Gale laughs and it causes her to smile. "You don't have to take a billion classes, you have to take seven. And I really, really doubt that you're going to have to write a billion papers." Madge tilts her head down but he cups her cheek and pulls her up. "I've got to pick up more hours at work next semester too, okay? It's not the end of the world. _Prometo._"

Madge nods but her eyes are still elsewhere. "I just don't want you to be mad," she tells him, her voice almost a whisper.

"I'm not mad!" he laughs. "Madge, you finally figured out your major and you're starting on the pathway, why would I be mad about that?" Her shoulders lift and he moves his other hand to cup her cheek as well. "I told you I'm not going to be flighty."

Immediately she protests, "That's not—"

"Then _what_ are you worried about?" In the background they can still hear Bristel on the phone with her mom. Gale lowers his hands and Madge sighs. "If one night a week is all I can get with you then, fuck, I'll take it. Okay? I know how new this is and I also know how much I _like_ you." Madge murmurs something in response and Gale tilts his head. "_¿Qué? _What was that?"

"I like you too," she murmurs again, trying her hardest not to smile.

"Ah, there we go." He pulls her onto his lap and presses his lips against hers, kissing away her smile. Madge slides her hands behind Gale's neck and up into his hair, causing him to sigh. Just as he's about to lower her down onto the couch they both hear a groan – Bristel's standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

"Stop being cute and couple-y," she says as she crosses the room to sink back onto the couch. "It's gross."

"Don't be bitter, B," Gale responds with a laugh.

Regardless, Madge climbs from his lap and reaches for her computer again, and Gale settles back against her side. "You could help, you know," Madge reminds him. "You have a laptop too." He wrinkles his nose in her direction before pressing a kiss to the side of her face and standing to go get his computer.

* * *

_A/N: I am SO SORRY that it's taken me so long to update! I hope this is worth it! They're still getting into the dating vibes and (spoilers alert!) I've never really dated anyone SO sorry if this isn't how couples start things off, it's just kind of how I'd expect these two to go at it. Love you all! I hope the weather has been getting nice for everyone as it has for me!_


	19. let's talk about sex baby

_let's talk about all the good things  
and the bad things that may be_

* * *

Madge expected a few things to change when she started dating Gale. She expected more late nights texting and lots more Netflix watching and less time studying, the usual "new dating" sort of thing. But she didn't expect for Johanna Mason and her roommate Cashmere, both friends of Gale but not exactly good friends of Madge, to sit with her at lunch like they're old friends. She's minding her own business, browsing her Twitter feed as she munches on a sub from the food court, when two people lower themselves down to her table without so much as a warning.

"Hey, Blondie," Johanna cheers as she sits. Madge transfers her gaze back and forth between the intimidating blonde and Johanna Mason who is intimidating enough just by being her. "Everywhere else is taken and we saw you all here alone, you don't mind do you?"

"Oh, um, actually—" She wasn't planning on staying long.

"Great," Cashmere cuts her off, sitting as well. Madge remembers Cashmere from the Halloween party. Finnick walked in on her riding some guy from some frat and he was laughing so hard about it that it took at least twenty minutes to get it out of him what he'd seen. She's incredibly beautiful, with soft blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that make Madge feel small. And she's skinny. Like, model runway skinny. Cashmere opens the container her salad came in and starts pouring dressing over the top. "You went to our party, right?"

"Yeah," Madge nods. "It was a lot of fun."

"Mm-hm," Cashmere smiles.

"No Captain today?" Johanna asks as she starts to unwrap her burger. Madge shakes her head. Gale has to work through lunch today, something about some in-service meeting and some new script to follow when answering calls. "Get this," she nudges Cashmere, "Hawthorne's settling down."

Cashmere cocks an eyebrow, "With _her_?" Madge frowns and Cashmere holds up her hands. "No offense. Grab him while you can, I guess. Been there, tried that, best of luck to you. Not sure how long it'll last, he's not one to stay in one place for a long time. I would know." Madge suddenly feels smaller than before. She looks between Jo and Cashmere. Gale's slept with both of them? Who _hasn't_ Gale slept with that he still associates with? Madge lifts her sub to take a bite as Cashmere pushes her fork through her salad, mixing it all together. "I guess he got his results then?"

After swallowing Madge wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. "What results?"

"At Halloween Thom told me they were still waiting on his test results." _Test results_. "Hawthorne's got an STD, girl." Madge feels tension creeping into her shoulders. Cashmere's mouth drops. "Oh my God, did you sleep with him? He didn't tell you?"

"Oh, no, we—we haven't, not yet."

Cashmere reaches out to Madge now, resting her hand atop hers. "Don't do it, Sweetie," Cashmere warns here. "In general. Hawthorne's a heartbreaker."

"Cashmere," Johanna laughs, kicking her roommate under the table. "Leave her alone."

Pulling her hand away Cashmere shakes her head. "I'm serious. He hadn't even told you that he has an STD?" She directs her question to Madge who's too stunned to say anything. "It's a dangerous game, and you're gonna lose." Madge considers getting up to leave when Cashmere says, "Us girls have to look out for each other."

Madge slumps backwards in her seat. She's right. Madge doesn't know Cashmere all that well, it's not like they're good friends or anything, but if she's sticking her neck out for her she might as well listen.

"_Leave _it," Johanna says again with another laugh. "She's just trying to get under your skin, Madge," Johanna tells her. "Gale's clean. Probably." Cashmere lifts her shoulders into a mock shrug and Madge forces herself to fake a laugh. She doesn't talk the rest of lunch.

* * *

_**From Gale – 4:32 PM**_

_**Thom and Delly are going to the movies tonight… come over? **_

That's how Madge ends up on Gale's couch, completely ignoring the paper she has to write and indulging herself in the feeling of his hands against her skin. His kisses are sweet and soft and the stubble on his chin scrapes her cheeks when he kisses down her throat. And his _hands_. First they start at her waist, dipping under the hem of her shirt, and then they start moving upwards, and higher. For a while Madge likes the feeling of his palms against her back, his fingers against her spine. He pins her below him, settled between her hips, his weight consistent and nice above her.

But soon Gale starts reaching for her bra strap, or trying to pull her shirt up and over her head. He never gets it done. Madge subtly edges backwards every chance she gets, kissing him while she nudges his hands back down and Madge edges backwards every time and eases his hands back down to her waist. And she thinks she's getting away with it for a while too before he groans, pulling away and sitting up slightly.

Gale pulls away, reaching up and scrubbing at his face. "You're killing me, Madge," he tells her. She sits up too, adjusting her shirt and looking elsewhere. Gale thought his intentions of tonight were, well not _explicitly_ clear but clear enough.

"What?" she fakes confusion, but Gale frowns. His look says everything. "What's the rush?" she adds.

"Well, Thom'll probably be back soon," he murmurs, edging toward her again. He thinks she means with foreplay, but Madge is questioning the rush of sex at all. "C'mon," he dips down to kiss her. Madge pulls away again, tilting her head to the side. "Are you—have you never had sex before?" he asks. "Is that it?"

"Ugh," she shoves his chest and turns away from him completely, sliding from his lap and crossing her arms tightly. "I've had sex before Gale, I just don't see what the rush is. We're on a couch." Gale smirks a little then, that doesn't mean they'd _stay_ on the couch. "And we've been dating like, a week."

"Mm-hm," he eases nest to her and wraps his arm around her waist. "And back before we were even dating you practically jumped at any chance to get me alone," he reminds her. Gale kisses her throat from the side and she sighs again. Madge feels like that was _so long_ ago, back when Peeta had awful timing and always stopped them before they got too far. "Remember?"

"Well it's different now."

"Why?" he reaches up and grabs her chin, tilting it so she'll look at him. He searches her face for a long time, waiting for her to answer him, and getting frustrated when she doesn't. "If you don't want to have sex then just say so, Madge, I'm not going to be mad." Still, her eyes are elsewhere. There's a feeling deep in her stomach that makes her scared he's lying. "_Madge_."

"I don't want to," Madge mutters. "Okay?"

He lowers his hand and dips his head. "Okay." Gale leans away from her. "See? That wasn't so hard." They sit awkwardly beside one another for a moment. "I'll make some hot chocolate, I guess? We can watch Lost."

As he stands Madge's eyes follow him. Before he makes it to the kitchenette the words slip out of her, "Do you have an STD?" He stops in his tracks immediately and spins to face her.

"Excuse me?"

"Johanna and Cashmere sat with me at lunch today," Madge tells him. "Cashmere said that you were being tested." Gale searches his memory for when this _possibly_ could've happened when it hits him. Somewhere in his hazy memories of that night he remembers Thom coming up to him, pulling him away from Cashmere. "Were you not going to tell me?"

"No, Madge—" he strides back across the room to her and crouches down so he's eye level. "Thom made that up on Halloween because Cashmere was seducing me."

She frowns. "She was _seducing you?"_

"She tried." Her frown deepens and at that Gale reaches out and grabs her hand. This is when Madge realizes Finnick _could have _ended up walking in on Gale and Cashmere instead of Cashmere and that random dude. She feels rotten at this revelation. "I wasn't getting tested. I don't have an STD. I never _thought _I had an STD around Halloween. If I did I wouldn't have tried seducing _you_. Right now." Madge rolls her eyes at him and he smiles. "You think I'd ever do that to you? To _anyone_?" She lifts her shoulders into a shrug and Gale shakes his head. "Never." His mother raised him better than that. "Alright?"

"Have you _ever_ thought you had an STD?" Gale's lips pinch together and Madge sighs. "_Really_, Gale?"

He rocks backwards so he's sitting on the ground. "A while back there was a possibility." She shakes her head in disbelief. He had an STD scare? Does that mean he's not careful when it comes to sex? Because that isn't a risk Madge wants to take. "I got tested, I was clean. I always use condoms but it broke and it freaked me out. But I was clean, and there were no problems."

"And how many people have you been with since then?" she presses. Gale looks elsewhere, trying to answer her question as quickly as he can. Disbelief fills her voice, "You have to think about it?"

He groans in frustration, "It was a long time ago!"

"When was the last time you had sex, Gale?"

"Aug—" he stutters. "August."

"Are you _sure_?"

"_Yes_, Madge," he frowns. "August." Her eyebrows pull together and a deeper frown takes her face. "What now?" Gale sighs.

She's quiet for a long time. Gale reaches up and taps on her knee. "It was that party," she murmurs. "Wasn't it?" He blinks a few times as she goes on. "We were going to go back to your place." Gale feels his heart sink in his chest. "And I left for like _five minutes_ and when I came back…" she trails off, letting her words hang in the air. "Do you remember?" she whispers.

"Yeah," he murmurs. "I remember." Gale went home with someone else. Madge returned after her trip to the bathroom and Gale was already making out with some other girl. It still hurts when she thinks about it, especially now. August wasn't all that long ago. "I was drunk, Madge."

"I liked you, then," she responds, her voice still soft. Not the way she likes him now, of course, but she still liked him. She still hoped it could've been something.

"I liked you _too_." And again, not how he likes her now. But the possibilities then had been endless.

"You went home with someone else, Gale." He sighs, scooting closer and pressing his forehead to her knee. Her hands drop down to his hair, running her fingers through it. "It made me feel _awful_."

"I'm sorry," Gale says. Would she believe him if she told Madge that Gale thought he was taking Madge home? That he was so drunk he honestly believed Madge was the person he was in the taxi with? All he can remember is kissing, lots and lots of kissing. His eyes were closed and the girl whose name he can't even remember was warm and he was so turned on he could barely think. Would Gale believe Madge if the situation had been reversed? Probably not. He bites his tongue. "I've got no excuse for you." He looks up, propping his chin on her knee. "But can you imagine what would've happened between us if that was the start of our relationship?" he asks. "We probably would've stopped talking completely. Then where would we be? Not here, that's for sure."

Madge drags her fingers from his hair to cup his cheek. "I guess. Still sucked."

He turns, kissing her wrist. "Yeah," he agrees. He noses at her knee. "Well let me make it up to you, hm? I promise I'm much better in bed when I'm sober." Madge rolls her eyes and yanks her hand away from him. Gale's laugh is quiet and he leans backwards onto his palms, staring up at his girlfriend. "You want me to get tested, don't you?" Madge doesn't confirm yes or no, and he sighs. "I'll go tomorrow."

"Gale—"

"I'll go tomorrow," he says again. "Madge, I'm serious about you. Do I need to say it every day for you to understand that?" She sighs loudly and rubs at her forehead. "I mean it. If getting tested is what you want I'll go to the health center tomorrow."

"I'll show you mine too," she tells him. "That way we're even."

He arches one of his eyebrows, "You got tested?"

"It was after Taftan," she says simply. There's more to it, but after Taftan is all Gale needs to know. "And I haven't been with anyone sense. Just wanted to make sure I was safe." Gale nods in understanding, Thom does that too. Gets tested after every relationship. Just to be sure.

"You don't have to show me," Gale tells her. "I trust you." Her eyebrows collide but before she can say anything Gale forces himself to his feet. "I'll go make that hot chocolate now."

* * *

They move to Gale's room after making hot chocolate. With their mugs empty and on the bedside table, and the season 3 finale of Lost at its end, Madge reaches up and closes Gale's laptop. She grabs it and puts it to the side before swinging her leg over his hip and leaning forward to kiss him deeply. Gale groans, partly from the pressure against him and partly from surprise, and kisses her back deeply. She rocks forward and Gale jerks backwards, his eyebrows high.

"Madge—"

"I'm serious about this too, Gale," she whispers before once again kissing him. Gale pulls her as close to him as he can manage and rolls the pair of them, pressing her down onto his mattress in the opposite direction of his laptop. Once she's pinned beneath him he breaks the kiss, propping himself up on his elbows and looking down at her. "I haven't said it enough. Or at all, maybe." He shakes his head, not wanting to hear this from her. "I trust _you_," she tells him.

"What are you talking about?" he murmurs.

She blinks hard. "You said I didn't have to show you my results because you trust me." Gale tries to process what she's trying to say but isn't understanding. "You think I don't trust you? I trust you more than—"

"Madge, no, stop," he cuts her off with a kiss. "Stop." Another kiss. "That isn't what I meant, baby." Gale kisses her another time, needing her to be distracted for a moment so he can think. "I trust that you're not lying to me when you said you went and got tested, that you're STD free. You haven't got any reason to lie to me about that. I don't need to see the papers for proof."

"But—"

"Whereas _I _have slept with a lot more people than you have and my chances are higher and me getting tested makes _sense_." Gale pulls away from her to sit up and she follows slowly. "I want to do this for you," he says. "You're right – I've slept with a lot of people, I don't even remember all of their names. I didn't _care_ about them like I do with you. I want you to feel safe whenever it happens. Okay?"

"It's just that—"

"I know you trust me," he cuts her off again. "I know that." Gale's eyes travel down her body and then back up to meet her eyes. "There's no rush. Whenever you're ready and whenever I'm tested."

Madge smiles and feels relief surging through her body. "I'm not—I'm not going to make you wait forever," she tells him. "I—that's, sex is part of a relationship for me."

Gale groans and lowers himself backwards. "Oh thank _God._" Madge laughs, leaning forward against him. She slides her hands up his chest and behind his neck. He wants to believe he would've waited for her but Gale honestly isn't sure how long he would've been able to be in a relationship without sex. He's a grown man for Christ's sake and fully believes sex is a human right. "That is the best news I've heard all day," he continues as she starts kissing up his throat.

"We're still going to use condoms," she murmurs into his skin.

Gale laughs again. "Yes, we're still going to use condoms," he confirms.

* * *

Gale never really enjoyed going to the health center. Early freshman year he had a stomach virus and had to go and the air somehow still reminds him of it. And then the second half of freshman year was when Gale had his STD scare. He doesn't remember much of it, too full of fear that he drifted through the logistics of it barely awake. But now the room is white and his mind is clear.

He walks over to the computer and signs himself in, checking over his shoulder more than once to make sure no one's watching him select his reason for visit. It's not that Gale actually thinks he has an STD, but this kind of information in the wrong hands could be bad at a place like Capitol.

After that Gale moves to the waiting area, pulling out his phone to browse Twitter until his appointment. A few minutes pass before they call out his name. He slips his phone into his pocket and walks to the back, sitting down in the room the doctor guides him to. He waits _another_ few minutes before a pretty nurse comes in with a clipboard in her hand.

"Here to get tested, Sweetie?" she asks. Gale dips his head into a nod and she pulls up her clipboard. "Alrighty, anything in particular you think you might have?"

"Oh," Gale shakes his head. "No. I think I'm clean. This is just to confirm that." She looks up from her clipboard and aches an eyebrow at him. "New girlfriend," he tells her.

The nurse smiles at him. "I appreciate that. Wanting to be safe. Wish there were more boys like you in the world." She furrows her eyebrows for a moment. "Or at this school." She marks off a few boxes with her pen. "Here's your cup," she tells him, pulling one out from the cabinet. "Just pee into it and I'll be right outside the door. Knock when you're ready. Then we'll take the mouth swab."

* * *

Madge has a thing for Gale's neck. He doesn't notice it at first because _honestly_ how is he supposed to notice anything when she's on his lap and her lips are warm and she rocks her hips against his, but the hickeys are proof of that. He notices them in the mirror, tilting his head to the side to examine the small purple marks across his skin.

"Madge?" he calls. She stayed over last night, originally having protested because it was too fast for them but ended up falling asleep and not wanting to move. It's midafternoon now, she's been working on a paper since the moment she woke up. He pads into his bedroom and finds her covered in his blankets, tucked into a cocoon as she works. Her eyes find his as he enters the room. Gale tilts his head again and points to his neck. "What the hell is this?" he asks, trying his hardest to be serious but failing horribly. Her face turns pink and her shoulders lift.

"I'unno." Gale frowns and she shrugs again, looking back to her laptop. He strides over to her and climbs into the bed beside her. "Gale!" she laughs as he shuts her laptop, pulling Madge to face him. "I have to write this paper."

"My boss is going to kill me," he murmurs, cupping her face between his hands and kissing her deeply. Madge whines, carelessly shoving her laptop out of the way as he presses forward, leaning her down against the mattress. His test results come in Monday by email and Gale's literally going to print them out and hand them to Madge, praying she'll change her mind on the whole "no rush" thing. Her hands scrabble against his chest before sliding up and under his shirt. Gale groans into her mouth before parting, pressing his lips to her cheek, and then to her neck and sucking hard. Madge gasps, her back arching as he nibbles on her skin. "Payback," he breathes.

Madge's eyes and jaw snap open at the same time. She presses her hands firmly against his chest and Gale breaks away, a sly grin on his face. "How dare you!" she laughs. Madge readjusts herself away from him and reopens her laptop. "They'll be gone in a few days, your boss won't even notice."

As she gets her document up Gale props himself up behind her. "What are you working on?" he asks. "Like, for what class?"

"One of my English classes," Madge answers. She glances over her shoulder at him, "No distractions." Gale rolls away from her and reaches over to his nightstand where his own laptop is perched. He sets his laptop down beside her and opens it as well, his eyes darting to her neck to see if he succeed in his mission. "Homework?"

"Eh." Gale pulls up Facebook and browses through it for a bit, clicking on a few BuzzFeed articles. Madge is powering through her paper and it doesn't look like he actually gave her a hickey, but there's still plenty of time left in the evening. He clicks through a few more things before bringing up Netflix, deciding to catch up on Parks and Recreation to pass the time that Madge works. Every now and then she'll look up from her paper and laugh but then she goes right back to work. "Hey," he murmurs after a while.

She looks at him, her eyes darting to the marks on his neck. "Yeah?"

"This works. Right?" She blinks at him before he clarifies. "You and me."

Madge smiles, her cheeks turning pink. Despite their hesitant start, this is easy. Things between them are natural, right. "Yeah. This works."

* * *

_A/N: SEX. Gotta talk about it dude. I'm almost in finals week so that's exciting, but that means I'll be gone all summer soon! Aka - less chapter. Not that I'm updating consistently as it is... sorry. Love y'all - especially Alys my lovely wonderful beta. You all rock!_


	20. when tomorrow comes i'll be on my own

_i got all i need when i got you and i_  
_i look around me, and see a sweet life_

* * *

Gale is checking his email every ten minutes. Madge as well as all their friends are coming over tonight to watch Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and get really, _really _drunk because finals are coming up and they want to have some fun before the studying begins. And Gale may or may not want to sneak off with Madge after the first twenty minute because he's _pretty sure_ his test results that are said to come today are going to be squeaky clean, and they're definitely going to celebrate.

_From Madge – 3:46 PM  
I don't know about tonight_

_From Madge – 3:46 PM  
Finals are in like a week_

_From Madge – 3:46 PM  
And I really need to study_

Gale groans loudly, collapsing backwards on his bed and lifting one of his pillows to bury his face under. The whole reason tonight is happening is _because_ finals are in a week. His phone dings with a notification, but not a text. With a frown he peeks out from the pillow and checks his email, grinning wildly when he sees the message he's received. Madge should come over immediately – he has something she'll want to see.

_**From Gale – 3:52 PM  
Study here. Come over early. You deserve a break**_

* * *

Madge arrives about half an hour later with a backpack stuffed with textbooks. Of course Gale was serious when he told her that she could study here but at the same time he was _sort of _hoping she wouldn't. She greets him with a kiss at the front desk and then he signs her in, and the moment they get up stairs she goes for his room and spreads out on his bed, and opening up one of her textbooks.

"Well you're just getting right to work then," Gale says as he sinks into his desk chair, "aren't you?"

"This Human Development final is going to kick my ass," Madge frowns, flipping through the chapters until she finds where she left off earlier. Gale leans backwards in his chair and watches her for a moment. "My professor is an airhead," Madge continues, "but her tests are _so hard_. I don't even know what to expect. We still have another chapter test before the cumulative one. It's wearing me out."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Gale tells her. Madge makes some sort of grunting noise in response and he can't help but smile. He tilts his head toward the papers he's printed and grabs them quietly. "You're a good test taker."

"I guess." Madge uncaps a highlighter and puts the lid on her mouth so she can highlight something in her book.

"Well I believe in you," Gale continues. He rolls his desk chair toward the bed. "I mean there's only so much studying you can do." His hand eases forward, sliding the papers onto her textbook. "Whoa, what is… wow what is this?" he asks. Madge squints, looking up at him then back down at the paper. "Where did this paper come from?" he asks. "Interesting."

Her eyes study the printed words for a few seconds before she shifts slightly to sit up. "Gale?" she laughs, looking back to him. His test results were emailed to him earlier so Gale print them, happy to hand them over. He is _officially_ STD free. "Hey!"

"Good read, huh?" He climbs from his chair onto his bed, cupping her cheeks and kissing her deeply. Madge's mouth is split with a smile, her hands swing up to his cheeks as well. "We've got nothing to worry about," he murmurs.

Madge kisses him one last time before pulling away. "That's great," she tells him as she smiles. Her hands drop from his cheeks. "It's—it's such a relief."

"Mm, _te quiero,_" he exhales. _I want you. _His Spanish has never failed him before—the girls he use it with have always thought it's hot. And he wants Madge to feel _hot_. Gale grins as her eyes flutter shut. "I've wanted this for so long," he breathes. She kisses him back, her eyes still lidded as she ignores her open textbook. "_Quiero hacerte el amor toda la noche_," Gale whispers as he slides his arm around her waist.

Gale leans in to kiss her another time but she turns slightly so his mouth ends up against her cheek. Still he presses forward, his own nerves from the entire testing situation completely gone now that Madge has seen his results, but her hands swing up to his chest. "Gale," her voice is soft and sad. Confused as to why she doesn't sound as excited as he feels Gale pulls away, his eyebrows coming together quickly. "I'm happy," she tells him, nodding to get him to understand this. "But we—we talked about not rushing this," Madge reminds him.

Gale eases ever further away from her. "I thought you meant…" he trails off, looking down at his results.

"Well, that was part of it," Madge nods again. "But not all of it?" Gale's shoulders slump and he leans backwards. "I'm happy," she tells him again, "but that's not why I came over here. You said I could study here."

"Yeah," Gale frowns, unable to swallow his disappointment. "_Sí_, of course."

Madge sighs, leaning away and brushing her hair from her face. They sit quietly as Madge tries to think of where she wants to take this. Gale scratches his face and turns so he can climb off the bed when she stops him, willing all of her confidence into this moment.

"It's not that I don't want to," Madge tells him, her hand on his forearm to stop him from leaving. Gale sits still, his back to her slightly. She opens and closes her mouth more than once, unsure how to breech this subject. "Gale, when I…" she takes a deep breath, sighing and shaking her head. She shouldn't _have _to explain herself to him. "When I was with Taftan," Madge starts again, and that gets Gale's attention right away. He glances over his shoulder back at her and waits for her to continue. "He'd always ask me to come over, and when I did he'd just sort of expect sex immediately."

"I'm not Taftan," he snaps. "I don't _expect_ it, Madge."

She scoffs, "That's exactly what just happened!" Gale turns away from her. "Is that the only reason you told me I could study here? Because then it's exactly what just happened, Gale."

Gale clenches his teeth. "I don't know what else you want from me," he grits out.

"There's nothing else to want," she sighs. "But you don't—you don't just _get sex _because you don't have an STD. Gale, I told you I'm not going to make you wait forever. I just don't want to rush and I have finals to study for and it's sort of not the first thing on my mind when I'm with you. And if we're being honest here, it makes me mad that you're just… that you're trying so hard for this."

Gale rolls his eyes, "Sorry that I'm sexually attracted to my girlfriend?"

Madge pulls her hand away. "I shouldn't have come over," she says. That wasn't what she meant and he _knows _it. There's more to a relationship than sex and it feels like that's all he's been after. Madge looks back to her textbook and grabs Gale's results, removing them from her textbook so she can close it. "Clearly I'm not going to get any studying done. And you're acting like an asshole."

"_Carajo,_" Gale groans, turning to face her completely. "Madge, come _on_!" She looks at him with sharp eyes and he pauses. His frustration ebbs at the look in her eyes. "Stay," his voice gets soft. He doesn't want them fighting already. "I'll let you study." Still she holds his gaze.

Finally Madge breaks the silence, "I don't want this to turn into me coming over whenever you ask just so we can have sex, Gale."

"I don't want that either," he nearly growls. Gale drags his hand through his hair, shaking his head. Madge gnaws on her bottom lip, unsure of what to say. Gale takes a deep breath. "I've been into you for a while," Gale tells her. He looks away, his eyes focused past her because he can't say this while holding her gaze. "It usually isn't much of a wait."

Her voice is full of sarcasm, "Well I'm _sorry_ it's taking you longer than planned to get my pants off."

Gale clenches his teeth and swallows his anger. He wishes this wasn't so complicated. He wants Madge, all of Madge, everything that comes with her including her stubbornness and her hesitation. He just didn't know that was part of the package when they got together. "This is a mess," he exhales. He scrubs at his face again. "This is a mess – this wasn't…" Gale trails off, not knowing what to say. "I'm sorry," he says. Madge sighs and purses her lips. "You've got to let me know when you're ready," he says. "I'm sorry."

"I told you I'm not going to make you wait forever," she reminds him.

"Okay, well, I don't want to make you feel forced into it in the meantime, alright?" Gale's not going to try anything unless she wants it, no matter how badly he does. "And I'm sorry if it did feel forced."

"It—Gale," she reaches out to grab his hand. "Of course it didn't feel forced."

His eyes are still elsewhere. "I'll always stop when you ask," he says. She turns his hand over in hers. "Or say no, or—I don't—I'd never cross any lines with you." He needs her to know that, that he knows when to stop. He may want sex but he knows that no means no and stop means stop, even with his girlfriend. Gale's heard way too many horror stories and he's sure Madge has too.

"I _know_," Madge whispers. "I know you'll stop, Gale." He sighs, once again wishing this wasn't so complicated. "I trust you," she tells him gently. "And I _want _you." Finally Gale tilts his head to look back at her. "I really do." Her eyes drop to his lips. "Just not at this exact moment while I've got a test on my mind and a billion papers to worry about." Madge's eyes lift to his again. "I don't want to be thinking about vocab terms, I want it to feel right."

"Okay," he nods. "Okay. I'm sorry." And he is. He really, really is. "I don't know what…" Gale shakes his head as he trails off. He doesn't know what came over him.

Madge shifts on her knees to be closer to him. She slides her hands up his cheeks and Gale's eyes meet hers as he leans into her touch. "The Spanish was hot though," she tells him. His lips curl into a weak smile. "I could get used to it."

"Mm…" Gale chuckles a little. "I'll keep that in mind." Gale turns his head to he can kiss her palm.

"Maybe I'll learn a few phrases of my own."

"_Dios mío,_" he exhales. "Trying to kill me?" Madge laughs a little too and lowers her hand from his cheek. "You can study now," he murmurs. "But you're coming out to watch Harry Potter with us when everyone gets here. Deal?"

"Ay, ay, Captain," she teases. Gale leans forward to kiss her another time, soft and sweet, before climbing from the bed. Madge reopens her textbook as Gale opens his laptop to get some of his own work done.

* * *

They don't sit beside each other during the movie, which is a _big red flag_ for Peeta Mellark who continuously is glancing back and forth between Madge and Gale and _trying_ to get someone else to notice and be as invested in this as he is. When he finally gets it across to Katniss she rolls her eyes and murmurs _so what_, and so Peeta caves. He pulls out his phone and texts Madge while everyone is staring at the screen.

_From Peeta – 7:54 PM  
explain 2 me y u arnt sitting w/ gale im v concerned_

When Madge gets the text she wrinkles her nose, shooting a look in Peeta's direction who is innocently staring at the TV as though he didn't send the text. Her eyes then transfer to Gale who's staring at the carpet in front of the TV rather than watching Harry Potter. They thought it might be best to not be beside one another after their argument, and nothing's wrong with not sitting on the same couch. At least they're not like Thom and Delly who have to get pillows thrown at them every once in a while because they're making out.

_**From Madge – 7:54 PM  
Watch the movie**_

_From Peeta – 7:54 PM  
! madge…._

_**From Madge – 7:55 PM  
Watch the movie!**_

_From Peeta – 7:55 PM  
kitchen right ! now!_

Madge watches Peeta wiggle away from Katniss and quietly stride toward the kitchen. No one turns their head to watch him and after a moment Madge does the same. He's waiting with his arms crossed and his eyebrows furrowed together. Madge starts for the box of wine that's sitting on the counter and presses the button to fill up her cup. "What is going _on_," Peeta whispers. "Are you guys already fighting?"

"We're not _fighting_," Madge whispers back. "We don't have to sit next to each other at all moments."

"What could you _possibly_ be fighting about?" Peeta presses. "It's been like, two weeks? A week and a half? Jesus, Madge!" She lifts her cup to her lips and takes a big drink before turning to look at him. "What did he do?" Madge is still drinking, trying to get the entire glass gone before she has to answer. When it's halfway gone Peeta grabs the cup from her with a frown and sets it on the counter. "C'mon, what happened?"

Madge sighs, leaning backwards against the counter. "It's complicated, Peeta," she says quietly. "And it's between us, it's nothing big. Okay? We just thought it best to not sit next to each other. Seriously." Peeta narrows his gaze but Madge keeps her mouth shut. She's not about to have a conversation with Peeta about how she hasn't had sex with Gale yet and he's upset about it. As she opens her mouth to tell him to drop it another time Gale strides into the kitchen, his eyebrows high on his forehead in question. Peeta's lips quirk sideways and he leaves the two of them alone without filling up his wineglass. "Enjoying the movie?" Madge asks.

Gale smirks. "I guess." He eyes her half empty wineglass on the counter. "That yours?" he asks.

"Mm-hm."

"How many?"

"This is my third," she tells him. His smirk shifts into a slight frown. "Peeta thinks we're fighting." Gale shakes his head. _Aren't we? _he thinks. Madge feels small under his gaze for a few moments before she reaches for her cup and takes a big drink from it. She's already pretty buzzed but she wants to be past that. She doesn't want to think about her argument with Gale from earlier.

When Madge lowers her cup Gale steps forward, tilting her chin up with his index finger and quickly kissing her. "Maybe you should slow down on the wine, babe," he murmurs. Gale knows she gets emotional when she drinks too much and he _really _doesn't want their private business to become public by a slip of tongue.

"Maybe you should speed up," she counters. Gale kisses her again before returning to the living room. Madge finishes off her glass once he's gone and then fills it up another time before following him.

* * *

They barely get to the end of the movie. By then everyone has had a substantial amount of wine and is whispering to their neighbor about this or that, laughing at something that isn't that funny. Gale watches Madge giggle into her hands at something Finnick is saying and he has to swallow his jealousy. Instead he swallows more wine, finishing off his third glass. Madge has had more than him, at least five he's sure of, and is sitting horribly close to Finnick.

Her laughter stops and Gale looks away, toward the kitchen to possibly get more to drink. He stands and leaves them on the couch.

"I think Gale's mad at me," Madge whispers to Finnick as she watches Gale leave the room. "No, no, I know he is. Gale's mad at me, Finn. He's mad at me and I don't want him to be."

Finnick hasn't been drinking much tonight. He lifts an eyebrow at Madge, "Why's he mad at you?"

"Doesn't matter. Do you and Annie ever fight? You guys sound so perfect, I never wanna fight with Gale."

"Me and Annie fight sometimes, yeah," Finnick nods. "If you don't want to fight with Gale then go talk to him, Madge, don't talk to _me_." Madge tilts her eyes to the kitchen where Gale disappeared to and nods her head but stays planted in her seat. "You never told me you had a thing for Gale," Finnick says, nudging her. "I could've set you two up ages ago." Madge wrinkles her nose and looks back to Finnick, quite liking how she and Gale actually ended up together. "Or gotten Jo to do it. Gale's a little testy with me sometimes." Still, she says nothing. He stares at her a few seconds before nodding his head. "Go talk to him."

"You're right," Madge nods. She sets her glass down on the coffee table and stands, patting Finnick on the head as she passes.

Gale's been in the kitchen for a few minutes now, talking to Thom while Madge and Finnick conversed. "I fucked up," Gale tells his friend. Thom arches an eyebrow. "I fucked up and I'm scared I already ruined it."

"With Madge?" Thom asks. Gale sighs, scrubbing at his face while nodding. "What happened?" As quickly and as quietly as he can, Gale gets the story across. How he's overeager and she's _not_. "You're fighting about sex?" Thom snorts and Gale groans, causing Thom to laugh a little. "Did you have an actual conversation or did you just get all sullen and scowly like you are right now?"

"We talked about it," Gale grumbles. Just not enough. "Sort of."

"Then it's fine," Thom tells him. "You hit a rough patch. You got over it. Don't let it eat you alive." Still, Gale doesn't feel right. "Gale, if you let this little argument become your entire relationship then you're right, you fucked up. If you move past it then you're _fine_."

Just as Thom finishes speaking Madge pokes her head into the kitchen. "Gale?" she calls his name and both boys turn to face her. "Hi," she smiles.

"Take my advice for once in your life," Thom mutters quietly before plastering a bright smile on his face. "I'll leave you," he tells them.

Madge watches Thom leave and then strides into the kitchen. "I don't want things to be awkward between us," she blurts the second that Thom's gone. She blinks a few times and her eyes fill with tears. Somewhere in the back of his mind Gale remembers that Madge gets emotional when she drinks too much. "Because I really like you and I don't want us to already be fighting and—"

"Hey, hey," he steps toward her quickly. "It's okay, c'mere." Her hands slide around his waist and he pulls her toward him in a strong hug. Madge buries her face against his chest. "Things aren't awkward. It's good we talked." She nods but still sniffles. _If we can move past this then we're fine_, Gale reminds himself. "Stay tonight," he whispers as he toys with the ends of her hair. Madge hesitates before he quickly adds, "Just to sleep. I swear." She presses her lips together. "We can get breakfast in the morning."

Her chin quivers and she peels back. "You want me to stay?" she whispers.

"Absolutely, yes," he says with a nod. She sniffles again but the time she smiles, nodding again and again to express to him that she'll stay. "We'll get breakfast and then come back so you can study." Madge nods again and he bends down, cupping her cheeks so he can kiss her gently. "Let's go back out there," he murmurs.

* * *

The rest of the night Madge is attached to Gale's side. She burns kisses to his neck as he talks with Finnick or Thom and every now and then he'll pull away, looking down at her and laughing and kissing her quickly.

"Honeymoon phase," Bristel hums from across the room and Johanna makes gagging noises immediately, causing the two girls to fall into a fit of giggles with one another. To egg them on Gale captures Madge's lips sweetly and then the whole room groans loudly, like Katniss and Peeta have never made out in front of everyone before, or Thom and Delly earlier on the couch during the damn movie. "Get a room," Bristel hollers before throwing a pillow that Gale easily deflects.

"Thankfully I have one," he returns, standing and grabbing Madge's hand, guiding her from everyone else who is still laughing and groaning collectively. He locks the door behind him when they enter not wanting anyone to disturb them and Madge climbs into his bed, sprawling out across the mattress. Her eyes are glazed over and she has a sleepy smile on her face, considering wine always makes her tired. Tired and emotional. "You're so drunk," Gale laughs, climbing in after her.

"_Am not_," Madge counters, immediately sliding her hands up under his shirt as he presses her deeper into the mattress, kissing across her neck. "Gale," she murmurs. "I want to make you feel good."

He pulls away at that and she blinks a few times. "What?"

"I want to make you feel good."

Gale didn't want to have this conversation again tonight – especially not with her in this state. "You do make me feel good," he says softly. "You make me feel like a better person." She pouts and he knows what she's thinking. _That isn't what I meant. _"Baby, you've had too much to drink for anything tonight, alright?" Her pout slowly slips into a smile. "What?"

"You've started calling me baby," she says.

He laughs, rolling off to the side and propping himself up with his elbow. "Is that okay with you?" Gale asks, and she nods. Her eyes begin to drift and he leans over, snatching another kiss. "I'm going to get you some water, okay?" Madge sinks into the mattress nodding and Gale rolls off of the bed, striding to his bathroom to fill up an old water bottle for her. When he returns Madge is sitting up, waiting patiently though he can tell she's drifting. "Here." He extends the bottle to her and she smiles, drinking greedily. "So your head won't hurt in the morning."

Madge drinks most of it before setting the bottle off to the side. "Do you have pajamas I can wear?"

Gale nods, turning around and digging through his drawers before pulling out some old gym shorts and an old t-shirt. Madge pulls her shirt from her body without thinking and Gale, though they're dating now, once again feels the needs to divert his eyes. She isn't giving herself to him yet and he's not going to take before she does. Once the t-shirt is on she pulls her bra off underneath, and then slides from her pants to put on his shorts. Once she's finally done Gale turns back around and finds her drinking the rest of the water bottle.

"Feeling better yet?" he asks. Madge yawns loudly. "Thought so."

"C'mere," she says, patting the bed. Gale sheds his own clothes, changing quickly, before sliding in beside her. The moment he's there she pulls him closer. "I really like you," she murmurs into his collarbone. "You make me feel smarter and safer and better and I don't want to fight and I don't want you to be mad at me."

He reaches around, rubbing his hand up and down her back slowly. "I don't want to fight either," he whispers. "And I'm not mad at you."

"Yes you are."

"I'm _not_," Gale insists. Disappointed, sure, but not angry. And not even disappointed with _her_, mostly with himself that he's been so needy about the whole thing. "You and me, that's more than sex, Madge." He feels her forehead press against his chest. "I'm not angry that you want to wait. I'm _not_. And you're right, we should talk about more than just sex and I shouldn't want you over just for that, okay? I know that."

She nods against him. "I want to," she mumbles. It comes out a little jumbled but he can make it out anyway. "Just not yet."

"Come on," he says, wrapping his arm back around her so he can rub her back some more. "Whenever you're ready," he whispers. "We'll go slow," Gale promises. "But I don't—we don't need to talk about it anymore, okay? Because it's just stressing us out." And sex is _not_ supposed to be stressful. "And I want more from you than that."

Gale wants the discussions, the talking, the laughter. He wants Madge to talk about her life with him, what makes her happy or what makes her tick. He wants to know everything about her, her religious beliefs and her political beliefs and the weird conspiracy theories she believes in and he wants to be part of her life.

He opens his mouth to tell her this when he realizes that her body is very still, and her breathing shallow. He pulls back slightly, finding her eyes closed, and with a quiet laugh he presses a kiss to her forehead. Gale reaches down and grabs his comforter, pulling it up to cover them, and snuggles back down beside her.

* * *

When Madge wakes in the morning her head doesn't hurt as badly as she expects it to. She rolls on her side and finds Gale's side empty, then hears the sound of the shower running. Madge fumbles for the bottle of water she knows is on the nightstand, remembering most of what she said to Gale last night, and drinks from it quickly. There's a new addition on the nightstand, two little pills that're going to make her head feel even better. With a smile she tosses them back, and then curls back into bed.

Madge drifts in and out of sleep for the next few minutes before Gale emerges from the steamy bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and a smile on his face.

"Morning, Princess," Gale grins. "How's your head?"

"Mmfg, it's fine." Madge buries her face under a pillow. "Sorry about last night."

She can hear his drawers opening and closing as he looks for clothes. "What's there to be sorry about?"

"Gale…"

"Nope," he strides over to his bed and pulls the pillow from her face. He's gotten boxers on now but his chest is highly distracting. Madge frowns at him. "No. Stop it. There's nothing to be sorry about and we're moving forward." Gale returns to his dresser and finds a pair of jeans. "It's in the past, we're moving on, and I want to know your Dunkin Donuts order by heart."

Her eyebrows come together. "What?"

"I'm going to order for you today," he says, wiggling into his pants. "And you're going to order for me, so you better know what I like." A smile creeps onto her face and Gale glances over his shoulder before looking around for a shirt. "Okay?"

"Wow, I like you," she laughs, before burying her face back under a pillow. She feels Gale sink onto the edge of the mattress and the pillow is once again pulled from her head. "I'm not telling you my order, you have to figure something out."

"Then let's go! C'mon, Undersee, I'm hungry," he says, reaching for her side to tickle her. Before he can even get in a good poke she rolls from his bed and holds her hands up in defeat, starting for the bathroom. "Hurry up!"

* * *

Last night Madge remembers that Bristel said Gale and Madge were still in the honeymoon phase. She was still pretty drunk then but she agreed, everything was easy with him, only to later remember that they were already having their first real fight – over something that doesn't need to be fought about at all.

But sitting in Gale's Jeep as they drive to Dunkin Donuts she wants to reconsider, because he knows exactly what station to turn it on (it's still early—almost 10, so sunrise acoustics from the 90s is _perfect_) and his hand is in hers and they're laughing about the lame jokes the radio show host is saying between the songs.

She lifts his hand and presses a kiss to his knuckles, resulting in a wide smile from Gale. They park at the Dunkin Donuts and get out, walking hand in hand inside. "If I don't like what you get me," Gale murmurs, "I'm going to eat it and cry and you're going to feel horrible."

"You will not cry," Madge laughs, elbowing his side. They stroll up to the counter and Madge goes first. "Hi," Madge greets the cashier before ordering. "Can I get one bacon egg and cheese sandwich, an éclair donut, a side of hash browns, and a medium cappuccino for here, please?" Gale arches his eyebrows at her but keeps his face relatively neutral as he walks up to the counter. "You're turn."

"Oh, I'm ready," Gale murmurs. "And can I get a medium French vanilla swirl iced coffee, one egg and cheese sandwich with biscuits, and one strawberry dream donut? Thanks."

The cashier rings them up and the two of them exchange a glance before starting down to the pickup line. Madge gnaws on her bottom lip as the pick up their orders and then move to their seats, slightly nervous and slightly relieved all at once. They switch their bags of food and Madge lifts the iced coffee to her mouth, sucking from the straw with a loud moan.

"God, I love this stuff," she tells him. "One out of one."

"One out of one," Gale agrees, lifting his cappuccino to her with a smile. He sips from his cup before pulling away. "Too hot. Can I deduct points for that?"

"Absolutely not," Madge laughs. They unwrap their breakfast and Madge tries not to start salivating over her strawberry dream donut. She can't remember if she talked about her love of the flavor with Gale but she must've because these things are _incredible_, no matter how sweet and sugary they are. "Two out of two," she continues, breaking off a piece of the donut to shove in her mouth. Gale watches with a smile of victory. "How did you know?"

"When you came to the snow cone stand with Finnick he got you a strawberry one, so I took a leap of faith." Gale breaks off a bit of his éclair donut and makes a face. "I've never had this before," he says as he lifts it to his mouth. Gale chews it for a bit as Madge takes another bite of her strawberry donut, waiting eagerly. After swallowing he sighs. "Two out of two."

"Yes," Madge fist pumps and Gale licks his lips, shaking his head. "Also," she points toward his hash browns, "those don't count because mostly I wanted some for myself and also everyone loves hash browns."

"Mmm, fine, then we're even on a possible three out of three." He nudges the container of hash browns toward her and Madge takes one, smiling again. "And I've never had this sandwich before either," he tells her. "I'm not looking forward to it."

Madge laughs and shakes her head. "Put it in your mouth. Take a bite. And swallow it." He wrinkles his nose at her but does as she's instructed, and sighs as he lowers the sandwich. She takes a drink from her coffee as he swallows, shaking his head, and she pouts. "Really?"

"Three out of three," he murmurs.

Madge throws her head back in relief, "Yes!" Gale tries to suppress his frown but isn't doing very good at it. "I am incredible, oh my God!"

"Your turn," Gale says, gesturing toward her sandwich. "And no lying."

After a bite of her own sandwich Madge shrugs, "I don't know…" Gale shoots her a look and a smile blossoms on her face. "Three out of three."

"We're perfect," Gale tells her, lifting his drink again with a smile. Madge reaches across the table and rests her hand atop his, causing his smile to widen. Maybe they were still in the honeymoon stage. One fight didn't mean they weren't going to work out. "Can I have a bite of that?" he asks, looking toward her donut.

"If I can have a bite of that," Madge counters, reaching for his éclair donut. As she takes a bite she smiles, and so does he. They both know they're going to be fine.

* * *

_A/N: Hi friends! This is the time when I tell you I'm getting ready to leave again for the summer, so updates won't be around that often! I'll still try to get some stuff your way but no promises on any consistency or anything like that. In the meantime, **Alys**__ is my angel saint and is a wonderful beta. I hope you're all getting close to a summer, or a break, or something! Sending my love to all of you. x_

_Definitely looking forward to your thoughts on this chapter as well - particularly with Gale. I see him as someone who has a lot of respect for the word _no_ and never wants to cross that line, but at the same time he's used to getting what he wants and when Madge denies him it he just gets angry - but of course he doesn't push her. That's just my take (as shown above), but what do you all think? Love y'all!_


	21. the way you kiss me will work each time

_i never should have let you see inside_  
_don't want it troubling your mind_  
_won't you let it be?_

* * *

"We don't need a questionnaire, Madge," Gale laughs from his spot. Her head is on his stomach and he can see her phone, she just googled _fun questions to ask in a new relationship_ and clicked on the first link. "We can—"

"Oh, these look good!" she interrupts. Gale toys with the ends of her hair, shaking his head at her. "It'll be fun, come on Gale. We'll go down the list."

He tilts his head toward his desk and looks at his books piled atop one another, knowing that he should really be studying for finals, but he doesn't have one for another two days and Madge hasn't been over recently because she's been cramming for her own tests. It's a sunny afternoon and they've got nothing else to do.

"Fine, fine," he sighs, looking back to her. "What's the first question?"

"Number one," Madge reads. "Are you an animal lover or would you avoid keeping animals at home?"

Gale wrinkles his nose, thinking about this. He's always kind of wanted a dog but back home they never had the money for it, it was just having to feed another mouth and that was hard enough once Posy was born. But thinking to his own future he plans to have enough money where that isn't a problem. Jobs in environmental science can be hard to get – but he's good at what he does and plans to make sure people know that.

"I want a dog," Gale announces. "A big one." Madge turns her head to face him and narrows her eyes. _"¿Qu__é__? _What's that look for? Don't you like dogs?"

"Maybe small ones," she answers. "Or quiet ones. I like cats better than dogs." Gale rolls his eyes so hard that he can feel a headache coming on. "They're small and soft and not loud!" Madge rolls more to face him. "Cats are little and easy to take care of and very affectionate."

"It's a known fact that cats are from hell, Madge."

"That's not true!" Madge laughs and rolls to face him completely. "They're soft and lovely and I am going to take you to a cat shelter so you can learn to love them!"

"Absolutely not." Gale's laughing too, the smile on his face so wide it's causing his eyes to crinkle. "Unless you also come to a dog shelter and play with the big ones to learn how incredible and better they are then cats."

"That isn't a thing!" Madge shifts so she's sitting up and opens her mouth to debate a bit more when her phone is suddenly ringing. She looks down and squints, answering it quickly. "Hi, Daddy." Gale shifts up onto his elbows and strains to hear the conversation despite Madge turning away from him. "You're going to the hospital?" she asks. "Right—right now?" Her freehand lifts to her head to scratch and Madge starts nodding. "Yeah, of course. I'll—yeah, I'll be there soon." She blinks hard a few times and Gale rolls from the bed, starting toward his closet to grab some shoes. "Okay, love you. See you soon. Bye."

Gale exits the closet with his shoes in hand and sits on the edge of his bed to pull them on. "Where're we going?" he asks.

"I can call a cab," she protests, starting for her own shoes. She doesn't want him to feel like he's obligated to do this for her – even if they _are_ dating. "It isn't a big deal I don't want you to put yourself out and—"

"_¡Basta! _Madge, I'll take you wherever you need to go." She nods and sits on the edge of his bed as well to slide on her boots. Still nodding once she's done he turns to her and watches as she drops her head into her hands. "Hey, hey," Gale scoots over and slides his arm around her waist. Madge sucks in a sharp breath and leans into him. "Take a minute." She sniffles and nods another time as Gale's hand lifts to stroke her back.

After a few deep breaths she pulls away. "My mom's got an infection and it's pretty bad," she tells him. Madge's eyes are full of tears but she blinks hard. "They're on their way to the hospital now but my dad's not sure—"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Gale murmurs gently before she gets too far. _My dad's not sure if she'll make it_. "Let's go."

* * *

Gale keeps one of his hands on Madge's knee as they drive, his thumb rubbing small circles as he tries to distract her. "We could go back through those questions," Gale tries. "From that website you found."

It takes Madge a few seconds to answer. "What questions?"

"When we were talking about dogs and cats," Gale reminds her. "That website you found."

Still, she's quiet, as though she doesn't remember. "Right." Gale glances in her direction and waits for her to pull her phone out but Madge's eyes stay trained on the window, watching as they zip past other cars. Her thoughts are elsewhere, but Gale still wishes he could make her be present.

"How about you plug your phone in?" he suggests. "Play some music." Madge looks in his direction again, absentmindedly reaching out for the AUX cord to plug her phone in. With a sigh he rubs his thumb across her knee another time. "Talk to me," he murmurs. "Keep your mind busy."

"She's gonna die, Gale," Madge answers. "Soon, if not today." She blinks a few times, tears filling up her eyes. Gale wants to look at her again but keeps his eyes on the road, not knowing what he can do or say to fix this. "I just have to accept that. And I can't. I can't."

"No one expects you to," he says softly.

Her voice is choked as she answers, "_I _do." She shakes her head and sniffles, trying not to cry. "We've known for months that this was going to happen, that she's sick and that she's going to die, and you think—you figure it would help me prepare for it when it happens."

"No," Gale counters. "I don't think it would." No one can prepare for the death of a loved one. It's still going to hurt more than anything when it happens. Madge scrolls on her phone a bit before picking a song to play, a soft easy playlist that will only further her sadness. Gale grabs her hand and pulls it toward him, kissing her knuckles gently. She looks over at him and tries her hardest to smile before turning back to look out the window, still holding his hand.

They don't talk the rest of the trip.

* * *

Once they get to the hospital they have to sit in the waiting room until Madge's dad comes out. When he does he whisks Madge away and Gale continues waiting. He texts Katniss and Peeta to let them know what's going on and sinks into one of the pleather chairs, his eyes off in the direction Madge left and wondering when she'll come back. He keeps himself busy, alternating between magazines and browsing social media on his phone, and about half an hour later Madge's father returns.

He looks exhausted but there's a smile on his face and Gale leaps to his feet.

"Sorry I didn't greet you earlier," he says, and Gale shakes his head.

"Don't worry about it. How is she?"

"Marigold's alright," Mr. Undersee says. "She's resting. One of her IVs had gotten infected but it's been cleaned and she's being treated with antibiotics, so she should be okay for now." Gale nods a few times, relief flowing through him as he glances back down the hallway again. "Thank you for bringing Madge. She's very upset, but it's good that she has you."

"Yeah," Gale murmurs, nodding another time. He doesn't feel as though he's done anything special. He wishes he could do so much _more_. "What about you?" Gale asks, the politeness his parents raised him with coming to mind.

"Please don't concern yourself with me," he tells him. Mr. Undersee pulls out his phone and checks the time. "Madge and Marigold are back there, room 707. I've got a few things at work to take care of but I'll be back later tonight. You can head on back." Gale nods and Madge's father lifts his hand, patting Gale's shoulder once before slowly walking away.

Gale watches him go before ducking down the hallway, scanning the numbers on the walls quickly while looking for room 707. Soon enough he finds it and Gale stops once he hears Madge's strained voice.

"I think I should, Mom," she's saying. Her voice cracks more than once and Gale leans against the wall, taking a deep breath. "It's only one semester."

"You're not taking the semester off, Madge," her mother says back, her voice smooth and reassuringly warm. "Especially not for me. What would you do, sit at home all day?"

"With _you_," Madge presses. Gale hears Mrs. Undersee click her tongue and then Madge taking short breaths of air. "Mom, _please_."

"You're not stopping your education just for me, Margaret," her mother goes on, her voice much more stern now. "That's the end of it. Alright? Your father and I want you in school. That was what we agreed on and you're not coming back to the community college – it doesn't have your program." Not wanting to eavesdrop anymore Gale knocks on the doorframe, causing Madge to leap. She looked up at Gale and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, forcing a soft smile before sniffling. She's sitting in a chair beside her mother's hospital bed. "Oh, Gale," Mrs. Undersee smiles and tips her head. She looks paler than he remembers from the wedding but her eyes are just as clear. "Come in, come in."

"Hey," he smiles back. Gale strides for Madge, resting his hand on her shoulder. She leans into him, her forehead on his forearm. "Feeling any better?" he asks.

"I feel well, yes," Mrs. Undersee nods. Gale reaches around with his other hand to toy with Madge's hair, a soft reminder that he's here for her. Madge sniffles again but leans a little further back to acknowledge that she knows he's there. "How have _you_ been since I've seen you last?"

"Things have been good," Gale tells her, casting his eyes down to Madge who's staring at the tiles on the floor.

"That's so wonderful to hear. Hm, Madge," she looks at her daughter. "I'm craving some ice cream." Madge furrows her eyebrows at her mom before Mrs. Undersee elaborates. "Could you run down to the cafeteria and get me some, maybe? Gale here can keep me company."

Madge looks in Gale's direction, her eyes rimmed with red, before she nods. "Sure." Gale looks as though he wants to protest but Madge is gone in a moment, leaving her seat open. He watches her exit before sighing, taking the seat by Mrs. Undersee's bed.

"So you're finally dating my daughter," she says, causing a small laugh to escape Gale as he nods. "It's about time. How are things going?"

"Really great," Gale says. His face feels warm but he doesn't mind talking about Madge. It's not as though there's anything to be embarrassed about. "She's, Madge is incredible. I'm really lucky." Mrs. Undersee smiles at him, and seeing her so frail and weak makes him want to keep that happiness. "She challenges me to be better," Gale says. "And she makes me laugh. And I still can't believe that we're actually together."

"Gale," Mrs. Undersee reaches out and he moves closer, lifting his hand to her. "You are such a wonderful boy." He forces himself to smile and nods slightly. "Please treat Madge with the respect she deserves, okay? And take care of her."

"I plan to, of course."

She looks content so Gale eases backwards, but she keeps her hold on his hand. "Have you ever lost anyone?" she asks, and Gale feels his throat close up as he shakes his head. Distant family, maybe, but no one close to him. "I know it's a lot to ask for but please, _please_ be patient with her when it happens." Gale's eyebrows come together as he thinks about what she's said. _Take care of her when I die. Be patient with Madge when I die. _He nods gently. "Thank you."

Almost exactly after Madge strides into the room with a small Styrofoam cup of ice cream. Gale pulls his hand away and tries to swallow, the saliva getting stuck in his throat. "Strawberry," Madge says.

Her mother grins, "Oh goodie, my favorite."

* * *

They spend most of the afternoon and evening with Madge's mom, and she teases the two of them about dating for most of it. When Mr. Undersee comes back and Mrs. Undersee insists that she's really okay, Madge decides it's safe for them to leave. The car ride back isn't as quiet but there's still an air of sadness.

"You wanna stay tonight?" Gale asks as they pull into the parking garage. Madge lifts her shoulders and he doesn't say anything until after he parks, removing the key from the ignition. "You can, you know."

"I don't want to burden you anymore," she murmurs.

"Stop that," he frowns. Gale reaches across the console to her and grabs her hand. "You don't burden me, Madge, none of this was a burden." She blinks a few times, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't have any finals tomorrow, we can sleep in." Madge sniffles and nods a little. "Yeah? Sound good?"

"Okay." They climb out of this truck and Gale goes straight for her, lacing their fingers together as they walk back to his dorm. She moves close to him, resting her forehead against his arm and holding his hand tightly.

Madge presses her lips tightly together to stop herself from saying anything else. _You're too good for me_, she thinks. _I don't deserve you_. How is he so devoted to her so early in this relationship? She wishes there was something she could do to convince him how much she cared for _him_. Gale's been nothing but patient and kind and wonderful to her, he's gone above and beyond in absolutely everything. She squeezes his hand and he looks down at her, giving Madge his signature smile.

Back up in Gale's dorm they find Thom absent, probably off somewhere with Delly, so he and Madge settle onto the couch. Gale sets up Lost on Netflix and she sinks into his arms. He presses his lips to her temple and she sighs. They watch for a while before Madge wiggles from his grip, having to pee. When she returns she watches Gale tilt his head to the side, cracking his neck, and Madge walks up and places her hands on his shoulders.

"Tense?" she asks.

"I'm fine," he tells her, glancing at her over shoulder. His lips quirk into a smile as her hands start moving, squeezing his shoulders and rubbing gently. "Mm…" he sighs, leaning into her grip. "That's nice."

Madge used to give massages to Taftan after he had long days so she's more or less perfected the art. "Here," she fists the fabric of his shirt and pulls it up and over her head before pressing her hands back to his skin. Gale cocks an eyebrow at her as she works against his back. "You've got a lot of knots," she murmurs.

"_Madge_," he sighs her name and she smiles.

She bends down and presses her lips to his throat. "Let's go to your room," she whispers against his skin. "It'll be easier." Gale perks up at that, grabbing his shirt from the couch and following Madge to his bedroom. "Lay down," she says, gesturing to his bed. He grins at her, closing the door behind him with a click, before climbing onto his mattress. She climbs on afterwards and kneels beside him, rubbing his back a few times before digging her knuckles into his skin. Gale groans into his pillow and Madge smiles again, bending down and pressing kisses down his spine. "How's that?" she asks.

"Mmfg."

Madge straddles his lower back and digs her knuckles back into his skin, dragging them down the planes of his back. "Let me know if I hurt you."

"Mm… Madge you don't _have_ to—ah," Gale sighs another time. "Where'd you learn to do this?"

Her thumbs spread out across his spine. "Here and there, doesn't matter." Gale moans quietly and Madge revels in the sound of it. "Thank you for today, Gale," she says as she works. "You—you're so important to me."

"Stop," he murmurs.

"I'm serious. You do all this stuff for me and I just want you to know that I'd do the same for you." Gale rolls out of grip and Madge falls slightly. Her eyes dart down to his bare chest and he sits up, readjusting her on his lap. Madge slides her hands up his body and laces her hands behind his neck. "I would."

"I know," Gale says, nodding. "I know you would." Gale bends down to kiss her gently. "That's what relationships are, baby. That's what we do."

"It feels like so much," she whispers, but Gale shakes his head. "You didn't sign up for this."

"I signed up for _you_ and everything that comes with you."

"It's just so soon," Madge murmurs. Gale shakes his head and kisses her again.

"It's not," Gale says. "Okay? It's not too soon or too early, it's just how it is." Madge's eyes look elsewhere and he grabs her chin, pulling her towards him. How hard is it for her to understand this? Gale kisses her gently, hoping it can convey more about how he feels than his can with his words. Gale's never been very good at speeches. But Madge is important to him, and wonderful and deserves happiness. And he's going to do everything he can to make sure she understands that.

* * *

Hours later, after Madge has fallen asleep and curled herself around Gale, he lies awake staring at the ceiling. She's nestled into his side and his fingers are absentmindedly playing with the tips of her hair. It isn't even midnight yet but Gale knows that she needs her rest—today was exhausting. Especially for her.

Gale tilts his head and looks down at her, her face slack in sleep, and the wiggles away from her. She shifts slightly but curls into his warmth once he's out of bed.

Gale grabs his phone from the nightstand and leaves the room quietly, making sure Madge doesn't wake as he ducks out. Thom texted earlier saying he was staying with Delly so the living room is quiet. Gale sinks onto the couch and pulls up his phone, dialing quickly and praying that she's not asleep.

Three rings later she answers. "_¿Hola?_ Gale? _¿Estás bien?_ What's wrong?"

"Ma?" Gale sinks backwards on the couch and sighs. "_Estoy bien_, I'm fine, I just wanted to hear your voice." He drags his hand through his hair. "Did I wake you?"

"No, no, I just got in. Worked a late shift at the laundromat." He hears shuffling on the other side as though she's moving to another room. "_¿__Que paso?_" she asks. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Gale sighs again, his eyes feeling heavy. "I spent all afternoon at the hospital," he tells her. "With Madge. Ma, her mom…" his throat is thick, it's hard for him to swallow. Gale coughs quietly. "Ma, she's dying and I don't know what to do to help."

"Gale?"

"She has cancer, Ma," he croaks. "Madge's mom's _dying_."

"Oh, _Gale_," Hazelle sighs. "Sweetheart…" Gale presses his hand to his forehead and squeezes his eyes tightly together. "How much time does she have?"

"A few months, I think," Gale says. His entire chest is aching, and every time he swallows it struggles to go down. "What—Ma, I need you to tell me what I can do to help, because I—I don't _know_, Ma, and I hate seeing her like this."

"Gale, Sweetheart," his mother sighs and Gale blinks back his tears. It's been a long day for him as well. "Tell me about it?"

The story spills from him without barriers, how he and Madge had been laying around relaxing when she got the call all the way to Madge's mother small but seemingly impossible request of him just _being there_ for Madge when it happened. Mrs. Undersee had been talking about her own death, and Gale didn't know how to comfort someone when something so important happened.

Hazelle listens quietly, every now and then asking a question, and when he finishes they sit in silence for a long time.

"So what do I do, Ma?" Gale asks. "_Tengo miedo_." _I'm afraid_.

"Gale, listen to me clearly. _¿__Vale?_"

"_Sí, Madre._"

"You are doing absolutely everything you can." Gale lets out a shaky breath, nodding to himself. "And if it gets to be too much for you, then you have to be honest with Madge and with yourself. Is that clear?" Gale made a noise of affirmation and she sighs. He knows his mother means well but if things get to be _too much_ for him, that means _Madge_ is too much and he doesn't want that to be possible. "It's a scary and very sad thing, and of course she's going to need people, but Madge is loved by so many and you don't have to be the only one caring for her."

"I know."

"You like this girl, yes?" she asks.

"So much," he admits. More than he thought possible. It doesn't matter to Gale that they've been dating for such a short time, there's something about being with Madge that just makes him feel like a better person than he is, than he could ever be. She isn't just another person in her life, she accents him perfectly, and everything with her feels easy and light.

"Then all you can do is be there for her when she needs you," Hazelle tells him. "Ask her what you can do to help. And be patient, Sweetheart." Gale exhales quietly and nods, squeezing his eyes tightly together. "That's all you _can_ do."

"_Sí, _I know," Gale murmurs. "I know."

They talk a little longer before Gale tells his mother that he loves her, and she echoes her love gently and bids him a goodnight. Gale drags his hands over his face a few more times before standing and making his way back to his bedroom. When he clicks the bedroom door shut Madge shifts a little, squinting into the darkness at him.

"Gale?" she calls. He climbs into bed beside her and she nuzzles up to him instantly. "Where were you?" she asks sleepily.

He pulls her close, playing with the ends of her hair. "Wanted to make sure the door was locked," he lies. Madge sighs and he turns, bending down a little so his lips can graze her forehead. "_Buenos noches_, Princess_,_" he murmurs as she drifts back to sleep.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long! I can't believe the summer is almost over? I'm so SAD. But that means more chapters for you I guess! Here you go! Hope you're having a lovely summer!_


	22. i find it very, very easy to be true

_i keep a close watch on this heart of mine  
i keep my eyes wide open all the time_

* * *

_**From Gale – 4:35 PM  
**__**Hufflepuff**_

_From Madge – 4:35 PM  
Slytherin!_

_**From Gale – 4:35 PM  
Peeta Mellark is not a slytherin Madge have you even met the guy**_

_From Madge – 4:36 PM  
Yes! Which is why I know he's not a Hufflepuff!_

Madge groans, lowering her phone on the table and looking across at Delly who's smirking into her salad. They both have finals in an hour but Madge can _not_ get herself to focus. Everyone gathered for one last hurrah in Gale and Thom's apartment last night to watch Harry Potter – no wine involved this time. They watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Delly having been the one to choose it, and throughout the entire movie Peeta was tossing popcorn at Madge whenever she wasn't paying attention. More than once Gale told her to shush, tickling her side as though that would help.

"He's throwing popcorn at me!" Madge insisted, but Gale rolled his eyes at her. It was never ending frustration. When she stood up after the movie it felt like an entire bag fell from her lap. She shot a dirty look at Peeta who was giggling into his hands, and Johanna murmured something about Madge missing her mouth as she ate. "This isn't my fault!" she said with a frown, but it felt like no one believed her. Peeta was secretly vicious, and Madge wasn't actually angry.

Afterwards they all sat around calling out people's names and sorting them. Delly was immediately the easiest, she was the biggest Hufflepuff on the planet who cared so deeply for her friends and absolutely everything she encountered. Everyone else argued for a little bit about everyone else.

Most people agreed Bristel was a Gryffindor who was brave and proud and super in charge of her own life and her decisions, and many thought Katniss was too, but Madge argued she was a Hufflepuff. The other big argument, of course, was Peeta. It was such a long argument that Madge didn't even sleep at Gale's that night because they disagreed (okay, that and she _needed_ to get some studying done, it was the only way she convinced herself to even go to move night in the first place), and they'd been talking about it all day since.

"Hey, I'm on your side, Madge," Delly says, poking at her salad. "Peeta's sneaky and he does whatever it takes to get what he wants. He's got a big heart, sure, and care about like, everyone, but he's really persuasive too and cunning. Slytherin traits."

"Right?" Madge throws her hands up. How else do people think Peeta got Katniss to date her? He was _persuasive_, had a way with words that made people do whatever he asked. "How come you didn't say anything last night?" she asks, and Delly shrugs. She never has been one for arguing. "Gale's a hopeless case." Delly laughs at her and Madge pulls out her textbook for the final she has to take soon. "Have you been studying? What's your final for?"

"Oh, it's just a presentation," Delly says. "We've been working on this group project for weeks, I think I'll be okay. What about you?"

"Human development," Madge murmurs, picking up a French fry to dip into ketchup. "I need this class for my major and I'm borderline C right now. If I don't pass I have to retake it and that just sets me back even more because I picked so late."

Delly smiles pleasantly. "I'm sure you'll do great, Madge." She checks her phone. "I'm getting dinner with Bristel and Johanna tonight," she says. "They've been hanging out a lot more, I think it's really great. You should come! I'll call Katniss—it could be a girl's thing. Unless you have plans with Gale?"

"Sounds fun," Madge says with a nod. "I don't think I'll be busy. We shouldn't be doing anything. Napping, maybe." She laughs. "Just text me when and where and I'll be there."

* * *

After her final Madge is most definitely ready to take a nap. Her hand is cramping from the essay she had to write and her brain is still spinning, but she thinks she did fairly well. Gale signs her into his building, his hand easily finding hers and pulling her in his direction as the woman at the front desk scans their cards.

"All done with finals," Gale tells her, and Madge nods. "I'm sure you did great. How do you feel?"

"I think I did okay," she says. The lady at the front desk prints out their pass and lets them go on their way, Gale's hand still laced with hers. His thumb brushes the inside of her palm and it makes her skin tingle. "But anyway, I'm still mad at you." His face morphs in confusion as they board the elevator. "Because Peeta is not a Hufflepuff."

"Oh, _God_, Madge," Gale throws his head back in a laugh. "You're ridiculous. Can't we just agree to disagree and move on?"

"No, because I'm not being ridiculous. If you think Peeta's a Hufflepuff I can only _imagine_ what you think I am." Gale punches the button that'll take them to his floor and pulls her close to him, his eyes surprisingly dark. Gale licks his lips and Madge stares at him, waiting. "Well?"

"It's not something that's up for debate," Gale murmurs. "You're a Ravenclaw. Entirely." It's funny how a conversation about what _house_ she'd be in _Harry Potter _suddenlygets her heart racing. "You're too smart for your own good," he goes on, pressing her into the wall of the elevator. Elkwood Hall might be a newer residence hall but the elevators are known for being slow. Thankfully they're alone. "Ravenclaw students are constantly looking for ways to learn and you reposted like, three articles on Facebook last night about sexuality and asexuals or something, I tried reading a few and got super lost."

She blinks a few times. "You tried reading them?"

"Yeah," Gale says with a laugh. "You always look for ways to better yourself, to learn more. And to help other's learn more too. It's about stuff I don't really, uh, understand…" his eyes drop to her lips. "I'm sure you'll help me get a grip on it eventually," he continues as she nods. "But yeah, I've always thought you were Ravenclaw."

"They're more than just smart," Madge murmurs.

"Oh, trust me, I know," Gale laughs. He bends down, his lips skimming her ear. "What is it," he breathes, "creative? Got that with the piano. Accepting? Don't even get me started. Witty? Gimme a break." Madge's eyes flutter shut. "I read Harry Potter once upon a time. You might have some Gryffindor in you too, Princess, but I'm sticking with Ravenclaw." The elevator dings and he presses a quick kiss to her temple. "How'd I do?"

"Hm." Madge follows as he pulls her from the elevator, down the hall toward his room. And maybe it's the talk about Harry Potter (which is _really nerdy_ but _also really attractive_ somehow) or the fact that Madge is done with finals and feels _free_ for the semester, or Gale admitting to reading her rambling Facebook articles, but there's something inside her that she's been fighting for a while that she wants to finally let breathe. "Thom here?" she asks as he unlocks the door.

"No, he already went home for break," Gale says. They stride straight for his room. "Are you feeling a nap? Because I'm definitely up for a nap." Before he gets too far Madge grips the hem of his shirt. She reaches back and closes his bedroom door before pulling him toward her. Gale spins around, his eyebrows high on his forehead as she leans back against the door. "Something wrong?" he asks.

Madge slides her hands around his hips and tugs him in her direction. "No," she murmurs. Gale's eyes drop to her lips and he smiles, bending down to kiss her. He presses her back against the door and her hands slide up his back until she feels the warmth of his skin below his shirt. "You sure Thom's not coming back?" Madge breathes.

Gale's eyes grow dark and he nods. "Positive," he murmurs. Madge pulls him back down to her lips and they continue kissing, soft and slow, while she fiddles with the hem of his shirt. Gale slides his tongue across her bottom lip and Madge sighs into his mouth. It isn't until Gale rocks his hips against hers is she sure that she wants this.

Her hands slide up under his shirt and span out across his hips, his back. Gale's nose bumps hers before he pulls aside, suckling across her throat. "Mm…" Madge slides her hands back to his jeans and tugs him toward her another time by his belt loops. Once his hips are against hers she grabs the hem of his shirt another time and begins to edge it up his chest.

"Madge," he breaks away from her neck and she leans back against the door. "What're you doing?" Gale asks softly.

"You know what I'm doing," Madge answers, tugging his shirt more. "I'm trying to get your shirt off," she says. He blinks a few time before bending back down, kissing her again. "You're not helping much," Madge murmurs against his mouth. He grins, pulling back with just enough room to remove his shirt. One of her hands slides up his chest while the other reaches toward the front of his jeans and he sighs, cradling her cheeks gently.

She's making it very obvious what she wants. Gale groans as she moves her hand back and forth. "We don't have to," he rasps.

"But I _want_ to," she exhales. Still, Gale presses into her, his lips skirting across her chin and down her jaw to her throat. As she rests her head against the door she fumbles with the button of his jeans but he swats her hand away, and then Madge whines.

"You first," he breathes. They part momentarily so she can get her sweatshirt off but it gets caught on her necklace so they have to take a moment. Gale laughs as she tosses it to the side and then lifts her t-shirt to discard as well. "Are you sure?" he asks and she nods immediately, struggling to get a hold on him somewhere. Gale's eyes dart to her chest and he licks his lips before kissing her another time. "If you ever want me to stop—"

"Stop _talking_, maybe," she pants. Her skin is on fire and she wants him to _touch_ her.

He chuckles, reaching down and sliding his hand past the elastic of her sweatpants. Madge grips his forearm and it doesn't take long for her to moan. Gale suckles down her throat as he brings her to her release, all while she still has her pants on. As Madge shudders and snaps her eyes shut, letting herself feel everything, Gale hikes her up in his arms and carries her over to his bed. She spreads out across the mattress and he leans over her, kissing his way down her throat and finally getting to her bra, a flimsy blue thing that should've been taken off with her shirt. Gale wiggles it past her shoulders and she helps him, reaching back to unhook it herself.

"Fuck," Gale sighs, continuing down her chest, now between her breasts. "You're incredible."

"Gale," Madge is still breathing heavily but he's making quick work of the rest of her clothes. "Let me—"

"Shhh," he cuts her off gently. Gale pulls her sweatpants down and kisses the inside of her thigh. There'll be plenty of times for her to get to him later, but he wants this to be all about her. Gale never wants her to doubt his abilities to make her feel good, or that he'll always put her first when they're together and makes sure she gets what she wants. "Not yet."

Madge nods and grips his sheets, focusing on his warm mouth and biting her bottom lip to keep quiet. Later Gale sheds his own pants, retrieves a condom, and then rocks in time with her hips. It isn't too fast or too slow, and it might be a little uncoordinated and awkward at times but overall they both lie on his bed spent. Gale's tied the condom off and thrown it away by now, slumped on his pillows covered in a light sheen of sweat. He's watching Madge through his dark bangs, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. She turns to face him and a grin stretches across his face.

"What?" she asks.

"Was that because I sorted you into the correct Harry Potter house?" he wonders. Madge laughs loudly and curls on her side to him, running her hand through his hair and tilting his head back to kiss him quickly. "I'm being serious," Gale murmurs against her mouth. "I thought you wanted to wait for a bit."

Madge kisses him another time. "We did wait for a bit," she says. He tilts his head slightly and arches an eyebrow. "I don't know," she shakes her head. "It felt like the right time for me." Madge blinks a few times, dropping her hand. "Was it not the right time for you?"

Gale chuckles, sliding his hand across her waist and tugging her toward him. "It was well worth the wait," he tells her. "Any time would've been right for me, if we're being honest." He brushes her sweaty bangs from her face and smiles still. "I would've waited as long as you wanted, Madge."

"I know." That was part of the reason it felt right for her to make the push. Because Madge really believes he would've waited as long as she wanted him to. She was no longer scared her hesitation would drive him away. "But I didn't want to wait that long. Just until I wasn't worrying about finals, or a paper, or some stupid class." Just until she could sit back and just _breathe_. Until she could savor it. "And maybe it had a little to do with Harry Potter," she murmurs.

"I knew it," Gale says with a chuckle. She leans toward him, sliding her hand across his chest and leaning up to suckle along his throat. Gale sighs, letting his eyes drift shut and focus on the feel of his girlfriend. Soon her hand drift a little lower and his breath catches in his throat. "You've got to give me a minute, baby," Gale breathes. "I'm not _that_ fast."

She pants into his skin. "I like that."

Gale opens one of his eyes. "Like _what_?" That it takes him some time to recover?

Madge sucks hard on his collarbone. "When you call me baby," she exhales.

Gale grins. "I like _you_." He feels her smile against his skin.

"Mm…" she trails off and he chuckles.

"Ah, hold _on_," he nearly groans from her touch. Gale slides one of his hands up and into his pillowcase and when he pulls it back out he has a condom in his hand. Madge arches an eyebrow at him and leans back. "What?" he asks.

"You keep your condoms in your pillowcase?"

"Easy access," he says. Madge laughs and shakes her head. "Didn't you notice when we—"

"I was a little preoccupied," she cuts him off. Madge sits up more now, reaching into his pillowcase to look for condoms. "Do you have a whole box stored up here?"

"They're dispersed," he tells her. "For emergencies! Madge _basta_—" Gale laughs as she pulls back, revealing two more condoms in her hand. "It's not bad to be optimistic, okay?" As she opens her mouth to respond a loud buzzing startles the both of them. "The hell is that?"

"I think it's my phone," Madge murmurs. She drops the condoms, allowing Gale to put them back in their place, and props herself up on the bed as she scans Gale's room for the source of the buzzing. Her phone had been in the pocket of her sweatpants when they'd first gotten here, it's probably in the same spot now. "I told Delly I'd get dinner with her and the girls."

"_No_," he groans. Gale reaches for her as she tries to slip from bed and presses her down on the mattress. Gale bends down and kisses all across her face. "No, no, no, no—"

"Gale," she laughs as he starts his way down her chest. "I promised!" He groans again, this time between her breasts. She lifts her hand to toy with his hair and smiles. "I'll come back after," she says. "And we can pick up where we left off."

"Mm. Fine." Gale rolls off of her and allows Madge to climb from his bed. She starts wiggling back into clothes as she finds them scattered across his room, finally reaching her phone in the pocket of her sweatpants. "Well?" he asks as she sits back down on the edge of his mattress, scrolling through her phone.

"It's Delly," Madge confirms. "They want to eat at the dining hall _literally_ all the way across campus. Which means I should leave now." Madge looks around Gale's room and starts off for his closet, pulling out one of his sweatshirts. "I'll be back after," she says again. "Make sure you can come sign me in."

"Mm-hm," he nods. Before she leaves Madge bends down and kisses him quickly. "Don't be too long, Princess," he says as she leaves, winking as she looks over her shoulder at him.

* * *

Madge makes it to the dining hall just in time for Delly to arrive. The other girls are already there, Johanna and Bristel and Katniss talking about their last finals, and all turn to greet them when Delly and Madge walk through the door together. "You look cozy," Delly says, eyeing Madge as they join their friends.

"Had a nice nap," she tells her friend. "How was your presentation?"

"Went perfectly, of course," Delly answers. They join their friends and swipe into the dining hall. "This is so nice," she remarks as the group. "Girls night! We should've started this earlier in the semester."

"Maybe next semester we can have more," Bristel says. Johanna rolls her eyes and Bristel elbows her gently in the ribs. "C'mon, Jo, it'll be fun." Bristel looks at her friend for a long time before Johanna rolls her eyes again, this time with a smile gracing her face. "We should do it next semester."

"I'm sure I can find some time," Madge says. "We can make it work."

Everyone moves from place to place and station to station to get their food before settling at a booth in the back. Bristel and Johanna have already sat down by the time Madge arrives, sitting awfully close. Bristel's whispering something that gets Johanna to smile in a way Madge doesn't see too often, and then the both of them laugh. It's nice to see Johanna with a smile on her face. When they notice Madge settling down they ease away from each other.

"How's Captain?" Johanna asks, quickly picking up her fork to cut into her omelet. "I see you're wearing his sweatshirt."

"It's a lot comfier than mine," Madge says. "He's fine. Exhausted and ready to go home, I think. But we all are." Madge rips open her straw wrapper to put into her cup. "What're you guys doing for break? Any Christmas plans?"

The girls exchange a look, Johanna smirking before Bristel clears her throat. "I'm Jewish. So nothing Christmas related."

"Oh," Madge lets out a short breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that!"

"Know what?" Katniss wonders as she sits.

"Bristel's Jewish."

"It's almost as though there are different religions than your own," Johanna says, still poking at her omelet. "Incredible, isn't it?"

"Stop," Bristel says with a laugh. "It's not a big deal. It's not like I go to synagogue or anything, my dad's super into it though."

"Oh, Thom's Jewish," Delly says as she joins them. "He doesn't go to synagogue or anything either but sometimes we talk about it." Bristel smiles as best she can before looking down at her food. Madge looks up at just the right time to catch Johanna frown.

The rest of the evening continues on with the girls discussing New Years. Katniss talks about how there's a party someone she went to high school with throws every year that she and Gale usually go to – that she's invited Peeta and Gale will probably invite Madge. The rest of the group is welcome to come as well, but Bristel admits she doesn't know what she's doing – which is followed up by Johanna saying she's going up to her parent's cabin in the woods with a few friends to celebrate. Delly's going to Florida so she won't be around, but appreciates the offer.

The five of them talk about finals and boys and this and that while eating, and Madge can't help but be happy they did this. She considers Katniss and Delly her best friends but hardly sees them anymore, and Johanna and Bristel are both great too. She's happy she can get to know them now.

_**From Gale – 7:34 PM  
Come baaaaaaaack**_

Madge ignores his text with a little smile, sliding her phone under the table so no one sees. She keeps the conversation going but her phone buzzes again.

_**From Gale – 7:36 PM  
My bed's cold without you**_

Johanna catches her blushing. "Are you texting? What happened to Delly's whole no phones thing?"

Madge frowns, "Since when was that a thing?" She looks over at Delly. "That was never a thing!"

"Are you texting Gale?" Katniss asks. "Ask him about that New Year's party. I mean Peeta's great and all but he doesn't drink and sometimes he can't handle me. I'll need an escape every once in a while. Aka, you."

"You just get clingy when you're drunk, Brainless," Johanna pipes up, causing Katniss to roll her eyes. "And besides, I doubt Gale texted Blondie over here to talk about a New Year's party. Didn't you leave his place to get dinner with us?"

"Yeah, but—"

"Mm-hm," Johanna cuts Madge off. "He wants sex."

"He—no he doesn't," Madge blushes. "He—wants me, to pick up food… for him. On my way back."

Katniss arches a curious eyebrow. "Thought you hadn't slept with him yet," Johanna says. "Finally cross that bridge, eh?" Madge's face turns redder and Johanna throws her head back in a laugh. "God dammit, he's good!"

Madge directs her eyes to the plate in front of her and tries her damned hardest to stop her face from burning while Bristel and Delly giggle. Katniss looks just as uncomfortable as Madge feels.

_**From Gale – 7:38 PM  
Why is Johanna texting me…**_

"Oh, God, _really_, Jo?" Madge sighs exasperatedly and sinks backwards in her spot. "Leave him alone." But Johanna is happily tapping away on her phone. "Seriously!"

"I'm congratulating him," Johanna responds. "Now you're officially part of the family." Madge arches an eyebrow, her heart swelling with warmth. _Part of the family_. Is that Jo's way of saying she's actually in with their friend group now? Because Madge hadn't been aiming for that, but she's not arguing. But then on the other side of the coin, being officially in with Gale's friend group permits Johanna's teasing and Madge isn't sure she's entirely ready for that. "And besides, _we're_ all getting laid, it's a good thing you are too."

"Who're _you_ sleeping with?" Katniss asks. "I thought that drummer from that band was on tour or whatever."

"Wait," Madge shoots Johanna a look. "Darius? From The Slag Heap? You're sleeping with Darius?"

"No, I—no!" Johanna drops her phone on the table with a frown. "I'm not sleeping with him. Never mind." Bristel shifts uncomfortably beside her and fiddles with her own phone. "Mind your own," she tells Madge. "Which reminds me, Darius _did _tell me that Sebastian was talking about you the other day." Sebastian, as in the lead singer of The Slag Heap? Madge feels her face turn hot again. Every now and the he'll direct message her on Twitter, ask her how she's doing, but it's not as though they're friends or anything. "Should I tell Gale to be worried?"

"What? No—absolutely not!" Madge huffs and crosses her arms. "You're annoying."

"Mm-hm," Johanna smiles. The girls don't even realize how easily Johanna's changed the subject.

* * *

To his credit, Gale doesn't try and get her pants off the second Madge returns to his dorm. "I'm so full," she told him on the elevator, so the second they get to his room he lets her collapse in his bed – fully clothed. Still, he plays with her hair and sporadically kisses her.

"So I hear Johanna announced that we've had sex to all the girls," Gale says. "It happened like, two hours ago," Gale murmurs. "Did you say anything?"

"Yes, because my first thought after sleeping with my boyfriend for the first time is to tell _everyone_," she teases. Gale smirks. "Especially to a table with two girls you've already slept with. Maybe I should compare notes with them, what do you think?"

"You're hilarious," Gale mutters. He leans forward and props himself above her before leaning in for a kiss.

"Johanna did say she was sleeping with someone, though," Madge murmurs between their lips. "I didn't know that."

"I try not to nose my way into her business," Gale admits as he sinks back down beside her. He hopes that'll keep her from nosing her way into _his_. Hasn't worked so far, but he'll keep trying. And Johanna is _usually_ _always _sleeping with _someone_. "Any other fun news from dinner?"

"Hmm…" Madge rolls to face him. "Katniss mentioned a New Year's party?" A smile slides onto Gale's face that makes Madge smile, too. "Do I get an invite?"

"Do you _want_ an invite?"

"No, I'd rather sit in my house alone and watch The Twilight Zone marathon," she says. Gale laughs. "I'd like to meet your friends from high school, if you want. I mean, I think it'd be fun. I'd have to talk to my parents, and it depends on how my mom's doing, but she sleeps early and—you might not even want me to come."

"My family might be going up to my grandparents for the New Year," Gale murmurs. "Which is the only reason I haven't asked you yet – Ma's not sure what we're doing." Gale reaches up, brushing her hair from her face. "But if it all works out I'd love for you to come over for New Year's." She lays her hand over his and smiles, nodding ever so slightly. "Mm. Good." Gale leans forward another time to kiss her. "I'm glad you had fun."

"I did," she nods. "Oh, did you know Bristel's Jewish?" Gale throws his head back in a laugh before burying his face into her neck. "And Johanna's hooked up with Darius? From The Slag Heap?"

"Learn a lot at girl's night, hm?" he kisses her collarbone as she nods another time.

* * *

_A/N: Again, sorry this has taken me forever! I hope the contents of the chapter make up for it though... heh. Love y'all, hope you're doing well. Let me know how you like (or dislike?) it!_


	23. no place like home for the holidays

_'cause no matter how far away you roam__  
__if you wanna be happy in a million ways__  
__for the holidays you can't beat home sweet home_

* * *

When Gale drops Madge off at home for winter break she insists he come in and say hello. "Besides, my bags are heavy and I need help carrying them," she says. And so that's how Gale ends up sitting on the Undersee's couch flipping through a scrapbook of Madge as a child.

She's pink with embarrassment on the other end of living room, scowling at her mother every time she looks up. "She tried ballet for all of two weeks," Mrs. Undersee tells Gale as she taps at the photos. He can't wipe the silly grin from his face as he looks through the photos. "And then she tried soccer, which she _hated_ because the first day of practice it had rained the night before and the field was muddy. Oh, look," Mrs. Undersee flips the page for another photos. "Here! She face planted in the mud."

"_Mom_," Madge groans across the room. Gale's still grinning, laughing at his girlfriend's mom and the photos from a long time ago. "Stop it!"

"Finally we got her on the piano," Mrs. Undersee continues. Madge looks over as her father enters the room with a mug of tea for his wife. He smiles at Madge, giving her a sympathetic look before crossing to give her the cup. "Have you heard her play?"

"I think she mentioned it once or twice," Gale says, looking up at Madge. "But no, I've never heard."

Mrs. Undersee lifts her eyes to her daughter and gives her a pointed look. _Play for him_. "I'm out of practice," Madge answers immediately.

"Aw, c'mon Madge!" Gale sticks out his bottom lip and pouts and she shakes her head firmly. "_Please_," he nearly whines. "I helped you carry your bags in." With a huff Madge stands, tilting her head to the side so Gale knows to follow her. "I'll be back," he tells her mother before darting off to follow Madge down one of her wide hallways and into a different room. Her house is _huge_. He looks down at the grand piano in the center of the room she's lead him too and sighs. "Wow," he murmurs, a little sharper than expected that he surprises even himself.

"Oh, don't," she says softly. "I know, it's huge and super expensive and…" she trails off as Gale steps closer, pulling her toward him by her hips. "Just don't say it."

They both know that Madge has a lot of money. It isn't a secret. It isn't something they talk about often, either.

"Then I won't say it," Gale murmurs. But she already knows that he's thought it, that she's rich and he's _not_. He leans down and gently presses his lips to hers. "Play for me."

Madge hesitates but eventually nods her head. Together they walk over to her piano and lower themselves on the small bench in front of it. "I'm rusty," she tells him as she starts digging through her music books. "I don't really get to play at school even though I'm studying to be a _freaking _music teacher and there's usually so much going on here that it's the last thing on my mind." Gale waits quietly as she rambles on and on. "I played a lot when I was younger, my parents came to my recitals all the time. I was always so nervous. I hate playing for people. It freaks me out."

"Hey," Gale laughs a little. He slides his hand around her waist and tugs slightly to get her to look at him. "You're good at everything you do," he says softly. "I'm sure you're great at this."

Madge gnaws on her bottom lip but tips her head into a nod. "You want to pick one?"

"I don't know them," he reminds her. Madge gestures to the three different sheets she set out. Gale skims the names, not recognizing any of them, and chooses one at random. "This one." Madge scoots the other papers behind the one Gale chose and nods. She takes a deep breath, spreads her hands out across the piano, and stops. Madge gnaws on her lip some more. "If you don't want to you don't have to," he tells her. Of course Gale would like to hear her but if she's stressing this much he'd rather her not. "It's not a big deal."

"No, I just, I want to sound good." Madge looks up at him and smiles. "I want to sound perfect for you."

Gale kisses her. "Then _play_," he murmurs against her mouth. She nods another time and parts from him, back to the piano.

Madge takes a deep breath again, this time closing her eyes, and lays her hands out across the piano. And then she plays. Gale watches her hands dancing up and down the keys, turns to memorize the concentration on her face as she plays, and sits back and listens to the most beautiful sound he's _ever_ heard. It goes on for minutes, or maybe hours, but eventually it stops with the last note humming in the air brilliantly.

With another breath Madge lowers her hands, slowly looking over at her boyfriend. He looks back at her completely unaware of what to even say. She _leaks_ talent.

"You are… incredible," Gale finally whispers. Her face erupts with pink. "Madge…"

"It wasn't that good," she says instantly.

"No, it _was_," Gale insists. He needs her to know how talented she is. "I've never heard anything like that before," he goes on. "You're incredible."

* * *

After kissing him goodbye and sending him on his way home ("Text me when you get there," Madge had said, and he insisted he would) Madge settles back onto the couch with her mother. She leans into her mother's arms and sighs as she starts playing with her daughter's hair.

"He's so good for you," Mrs. Undersee tells her. Madge nods, trying to bite back her smile. "Hold onto him, Sweetheart."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I mean it," she goes on. "That boy is falling in love with you." Madge's face heats up and she turns farther away from her mom so she can't see her face. "I am so serious it isn't even funny, Madgey. Are you going to see him on Christmas?"

"We agreed on not trading presents," Madge says. But she wouldn't mind seeing him. Madge remembers him mentioning something about maybe heading to their grandparents so he might be busy anyway. Christmas is supposed to be a time about being with family anyway, so he should probably be with his and she should be with hers. "He wants me to go to his house for New Year's though," she tells her mom, turning up to look at her. "I told him I'd think about it."

"What's there to think about?"

Madge hesitates before saying, "You…"

Mrs. Undersee sighs. "What _about_ me, Madge?"

She feels tears forming in her eyes and blinks hard, quickly settling back down so her mom can't see her face. "This might be your last," Madge finally says. Madge only says might because she wants to be hopeful, but she knows the chances of her mother making it an entire other year are incredibly slim. "I should… I want to stay with you, you know?"

Mrs. Undersee is quiet for a long time and Madge waits for an answer. She's going to be mad, that's usually how Mrs. Undersee reacts to these situations. "I think you should go," she finally answers. Madge sighs and gets ready to protest when her mom stops her. "I can't stay up late," she reasons. "So I wouldn't be able to watch the ball drop anyway. You'd be alone with your father, and I'd see you in the morning regardless."

"Mom—"

"If you go with Gale you can get your New Year's kiss and then be back to see me in the morning. No one would miss anything." Madge presses her lips hard together to keep herself from saying anything else. "I want you to go, Sweetheart. I want you to—"

"To live a full life," Madge cuts her off tiredly. She's heard it way too many times from her mother. But what Mrs. Undersee doesn't understand is part of Madge's life is spending time _with_ her mother. "You could try to stay up," Madge offers. "To watch the ball drop."

"My medicine makes me tired," Mrs. Undersee counters. "And then I get cranky if I stay up." Madge sighs another time. "Please go. For me?" Madge looks up at the ceiling to stop herself from crying. "I want you to have _fun_." Madge gnaws on her bottom lip. "Think about it okay? Please?"

* * *

"_Hola_," Gale calls into his house as he pushes open the door. "_¿Familia, donde estas?" _He drops his bag on the floor and frowns before he hears a tiny pitter patter of feet and his little sister appears. "Posy!" Gale grins and dips down, extending his arms to hug her tightly. "Where is everyone?"

"Vick and Pop and Rory went to get the Christmas tree," Posy tells him, causing Gale to frown. They always wait until the last minute and it kind of frustrates him, he wishes he could come back from school and the place would feel like Christmas right away – but at least this way he gets to help decorate. "Ma's got a cold so she's upstairs taking a nap so I'm being quiet."

"You did a great job at it," he tells her, finally setting her back on the ground. "I didn't even think anyone was home." Gale checks the clock offhandedly and wonders when they'll be back. "Want to help me start dinner?" he asks his sister. Posy's face lights up and Gale guides her toward the kitchen, ready to start the meal.

* * *

He gets a phone call about an hour later. It's from his father, which is instantly worrying considering he should be home with the boys by now, so Gale answers right away.

"Are you home yet?" his father asks. Before Gale can even answer his father is speaking again. "I need you to come pick us up from the shop," Asher is saying. His voice is soft and overly calm, something that chills Gale to the bone. "Don't tell your mother, and don't tell Posy."

"I've been home for a bit," Gale says, eyeing the pasta on the oven that he's cooking for later. "What's wrong?"

"Don't ask questions," his father snaps. "Come to the shop."

Then he hangs up the phone. Gale isn't used to panic or the sharpness of his father's voice. His heart begins to hammer in his chest and he glances over his shoulder at his sister, happily sitting at the kitchen table. "Posy," Gale says softly. "I need you to wake up Ma."

"_¿Que? _Why?"

"Because I'm asking you to," he says. "Do this for me?" She furrows her dark eyebrows at him but nods her head, quickly scooting off of her chair and exiting the kitchen. Gale stirs the pasta and waits for Posy to return with his mother. It isn't for another few minutes that he hears the heavy footsteps and the creaking of the stairs, and then both of them are in the kitchen.

Hazelle's rubbing her eyes. "Everything okay?" she asks with a yawn.

"Realized we don't have any milk," Gale tells her. The microwave beeps with the timer running out and Gale quickly switches off the stove. "I'm going to run to the store real quick – sorry that I had to wake you."

"Oh, no, no, no," Hazelle takes the pot from the stove to carry over to the strainer. "Don't worry about it, _hijo_. I'm feeling better already." She smiles fondly at him as she dumps out the boiling water. "I'm glad your home, Sweetheart."

He smiles and steps over, quickly kissing her cheek. "Glad to be home, Ma."

* * *

In the car Gale feels nauseous. Asher Hawthorne is rarely a stern man, even when he has to be. The intensity of his voice, the shortness of the phone call, it's causing Gale to think the worst. He's barely off of his street before he realizes how bad the roads are. It snowed earlier, not a lot, but it's already frozen over and doesn't look as though it's been salted. He shifts his jeep into four wheel and it gets easier to drive.

In the thirteen minutes it takes for Gale to get to his father's shop, he's come up with about thirty different horrible things that could've happened. Gale hasn't even cut the engine when his father and both Rory and Vick come marching outside. They have a small pine tree in their arms. Both the boys are holding the tip while Gale's father carries the trunk alone. Gale slides out of his seat to grab some securing cables from his trunk and together all four boys get the tree on the roof of the car.

Rory and Vick both hug Gale once the tree is on, but Asher keeps his mouth shut. It isn't hostility towards Gale, but clearly his mind is somewhere else.

"Hey!" Rory greets.

Vick too, "You're home!"

"Hey guys," Gale says. They all climb back into the jeep and Gale starts the engine. "Make sure you buckle," he says over his shoulder. His siblings quickly click their seatbelts on. "Someone wanna tell me what happened?"

"Dad was driving and—" Rory starts, but Asher quickly spins around and gives him a pointed look.

Gale sighs, scratching the back of his neck. The roads are icy. "You got into an accident?" Gale asks quietly. Asher sighs too, tipping his head forward the smallest amount. "How bad is it?"

"At least 500 in damages," Asher murmurs. "Probably more." Gale huffs and makes sure to keep his eyes on the road. He reaches forward and turns on the music so the kids in the back have something to focus on. "If it wasn't Christmas we'd be fine," Asher continues quietly. "But we just spent so much on gifts… I don't think we—"

"Hey," Gale stops him. "It's—I have the money. Okay? I can lend a hand."

Asher shakes his head. "No, Gale. You're not doing that."

"Well if you don't have the money," Gale says, "and I do, then what other option is there?" Gale looks at his father through his bangs and can literally _feel_ how upset Asher is at this suggestion. His dad's face is contorted in frustration with his heavy eyebrows drawn together and his dark gray eyes focused outside the window. "You can pay me back," Gale finally offers. Asher sighs again. "It's okay, Dad. I get it."

"_Gracias a Dios_ we're all alright," Asher exhales. "It was just an icy road, is all. We didn't hit anyone."

"We went into a ditch," Vick calls from the back.

"_Basta_," Asher murmurs. He reaches back and grabs Vick's ankle. "Enough." He looks at his sons in the back again. "Remember what I told you? Ma doesn't find out."

"Ma doesn't find out," both of the boys repeat.

Gale frowns at his father. "At least," Asher continues, "not until the car's fixed."

* * *

He's almost asleep when his phone rings. Gale swings his hand out and blindly answers the phone, managing to hit way too many buttons in the process. "Hello?" Gale rasps.

"Gale?" Madge's voice is soft on the other end. "Hey. Are you okay?" He blinks a few times, trying to wake himself up, before guilt seeps into his stomach. "You never texted, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Fuck. Baby, I'm sorry." He rubs his eyes but decides not to turn the light on his bedside table on. "I blanked, I'm so sorry."

Madge, in her own room, is gnawing on her bottom lip. "No, it's okay." Her lights are still on, she's lying on her back and staring at the ceiling. "I just wanted to double check. The roads were icy."

Gale goes to apologize another time when he hears her sigh softly. "Everything alright?" he asks. She sounds off. Sad. His first thought is of himself. "I should've called, it's my mistake."

"No, it's—I mean, I figured you were okay." She smiles to herself a little. "You updated your Snapchat with a picture of Posy. I just… wanted to make sure." Gale smiles a little bit too. "It's not you." Gale's eyebrows come together and he squints into the darkness. "You sound tired. Goodnight."

"Hey, wait a second," Gale sits up to wake himself up more. "What's wrong?" She sighs another time. "Madge, talk to me."

"We've—" she stops herself, rubbing at her face and rolling on her side. She hasn't even been home a full day and she's already exhausted. Her mom talks as though she's dying tomorrow (and _okay_ with it – which should be at least a little comforting but just makes Madge unsettled), and her dad won't stop asking her about her studies. All she wanted was a relaxing winter break but she knows it's not going to happen, and even wanting that makes her feel guilty. It's not her mom's fault that she's sick. "It's just… easier. At school."

Gale rocks forward on his bed, wondering if he should turn his light on. The rest of the house is quiet, meaning everyone must have gone to bed. They spent the rest of the evening setting up the Christmas tree. Hazelle didn't seem concerned about their other car, Asher simply mentioned needed to check something with the engine, and she didn't ask about the milk Gale said he was getting either. That unsettled Gale, the lie. But he knows his dad's just trying to protect his mom. They spent more money on presents this year than previously, Gale knows Hazelle would feel guilty. Besides, he doesn't mind spending the money if it's going to allow his siblings to have a good Christmas.

"What's easier?" Gale asks.

"All of it," Madge murmurs. She doesn't have to worry about things at home as often because she's not there to _see _them. "It's—I should let you sleep."

"_Talk _to me," Gale says again.

"It's my mom," she tells him. "She… it's just harder being here." Gale rubs his forehead. He'll never be able to understand the pain Madge and her family must be going through. "And I miss you. It's only been a day and I miss you."

Gale laughs a little. "I miss you too." He doesn't want to change the subject but he isn't sure how to further this conversation. "Have you thought about New Year's, yet?"

"That's—mm, that's what my mom and I were talking about."

"Oh yeah?"

"She wants me to go to your party, thing." Gale feels a little lighter at that. He's had his fair share of New Year's kisses but there's something special about the idea of having one with Madge. In recent years he hasn't had a girlfriend to spend it with. "I just don't know if I should."

His stomach drops. "What? Why not?"

She sighs another time. "It's—it's going to be my mom's last, Gale. I know it is. And I don't…" Madge trails off and guilt seeps into his veins. He's being selfish. He wants Madge to be with him despite all of her struggling. "I don't know."

"If you want to stay home," Gale starts, "then stay home. I understand, Madge."

"I do," she tells him. "But I want to be with you, too."

"Well," he exhales deeply. That isn't exactly helpful when it comes to her making her decision. "Think about it. It's okay either way."

"Yeah," Madge murmurs. "Okay." Before Gale can say anything else Madge bids him goodnight and quickly hangs up the phone.

Still half asleep, Gale sets his phone back on his nightstand and climbs under his covers with ease. But back in Madge's room she holds her phone to her chest and stares at the ceiling with her heart feeling heavier by the second.

* * *

_A/N: Hi friends! I hope you're all doing well. It's strange to be writing about Christmas when it's barely the fall season. Make sure to send lots of love to my lovely friend Alys. x _


	24. all of your wallowing is unbecoming

_look around you you're the only one dragging this out_  
_you've gotta come back down_

* * *

There're a few days between their first day of break and Christmas, so Madge and Gale make a plan to see each other. He's going to pick her up (his jeep is better on the slick road than her car) considering he has to make a payment at the bank which is closer to her house anyway.

Hazelle's since found out about the car accident. Once Gale and Asher worked out the damages and arranged some sort of payment plan, he told his wife immediately. She was overly worried, angry, and heartbroken.

"We'll pay you back," Hazelle insisted. Gale swore that it wouldn't be a problem, but she and her father were adamant.

"We swore we wouldn't be those parents," Asher told him. "We're going to pay you back, Gale. It might take us some time, but we'll get there. _Prometo_."

He hates that his parents feel like they have to pay him back. They do so much for him, from funneling funds to his tuition and into paying off loans to putting a roof over his head. He can pay a car payment for them easily. It doesn't bother him.

However, he also doesn't have any money anymore. After transferring money to his parents account he's too scared to look at his own. Gale's positive the number is lower than he wants it to be. Still, he drives to the bank and makes the payment, stopping at Madge's on the way back.

She's waiting outside for him. Her jacket is poofy and she has a scarf wound around her neck. Her hands are in her pockets. When he rolls to a stop a smile lights up her face. Madge is careful on the steps, they look shoveled but still icy (and Gale can't help but wonder if they paid someone to do that for them), before making her way to his car. The second she sits she leans across the console to meet him for a kiss.

"Hey," he murmurs against her mouth.

She grins. "It's been like, five days," she murmurs back. He grins too before reaching up and cupping the back of her head to kiss her again. "Your beard is already longer."

Gale laughs and kisses her one last time before pulling away. "It's cold outside," he counters as he shifts his jeep into drive. "I have to keep my face warm."

"Mm-hm," Madge hums. She buckles her seatbelt and gives her home one quick look before they drive back down the driveway. Gale cranks the heat as she unwinds the scarf from her neck. "I talked to my mom this morning," she tells him. "About New Year's."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mm-hm," she says another time. Madge places her scarf in her lap and looks over at him. "If it's still—if you're still up for it then I'd love to come to that party, thing." Gale tilts his head over and smiles. "If you want."

He licks his lips. "If I want?"

"Well I'm obviously not going to show up if you don't want me there," Madge says.

He reaches over and rests his hand on her knee. "That's what I want," Gale confirms. "In _fact_," he rubs his thumb in circles over her jeans. "My parents are taking the kids to our grandparent's house for the New Year, which means the entire house will be empty." After a moment he adds, "Except my bedroom."

"You are _not_ slick," Madge says with a laugh. She covers her hand with his. "I guess I'll be over for the New Year then."

"I guess so," he laughs. They drive a bit longer, careful on the icy roads, talking about their few days back home. They've been texting of course, but everything is so much nicer to hear in person. Before they can reach Gale's home he pulls into a gas station. "Want something?" he asks as they unbuckle.

"I might grab a hot chocolate," Madge tells him as they exit the car.

It's an older gas station and there isn't a place to swipe his card on the pump so Gale follows Madge into the gas station. It's a slow day, probably due to the condition of the streets, and they're the only two in the building. There's an old man with dark gray hair at the counter who looks bored.

"Forty on pump number two," Gale tells the man, sliding his card across. After punching in a few buttons wordlessly the man swipes his card. There's a loud beep.

"Card says there's not enough," he says.

Gale's eyebrows come together. He looks over his shoulder at Madge who's in the back of the store, using one of those old hot water machines to make her hot chocolate. "Try it again," Gale insists. He should have at least forty dollars left in his account. The man swipes the card another time and there's another loud beep. Why would his checking account drop so low? He racks his brain for the last time he spent money, remembering he splurged last night on some last minute Amazon purchases for the kids. Gale's chest suddenly feels tight. "Just try thirty," Gale says softly. He doesn't need Madge overhearing, and if he talks too loud he's worried his voice might shake.

Again the man tries, and again the machine beeps. Gale hadn't anticipated having to get gas – he gets paid from his job at school in a few days. "Sorry, kid," he says.

Madge is at the counter now, both hands on her cup. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Gale murmurs. He reaches for his wallet and pulls it out, frowning when he finds he's out of cash. Why is he out of cash? He thinks hard for a minute before remembering he gave some money to Rory to buy their parents a present for Christmas.

"Do you have another card?" the man behind the counter asks.

Madge frowns, "Is your card not working?" She swings her purse around and rifles for her wallet. "Try mine."

"No," Gale holds up his hand to stop her. "Just, try again," Gale insists to the man. He can't even bring himself to look in Madge's direction. Her frown deepens and she readjusts her wallet in her hands. The machine beeps another time. Gale is so frustrated he can't overdraft – he'd even take the God awful fee to save him from this embarrassment.

"Here," Madge ignores Gale's hand that's blocking her and gives her card to the man at the counter. "And the hot chocolate too," she says. Gale rocks backwards on his heels, staring at his card that the man slides back over the counter. Of course her card goes through without a hitch. Gale fumbles for his stupid piece of plastic and shoves it back into his wallet, striding out of the store to pump the gas into his jeep without saying a word.

As soon as he gets everything set up he hears the bell over the door jingle. He can't turn to look at Madge, instead he focuses on getting gas into his jeep.

How could his card not have gone through? How does he not have _thirty dollars_ to his name? He supposed he could've used his emergency credit card but he just got paid from his job at school and his next paycheck wouldn't be for a while – he likes to pay the credit card off as soon as possible. Gale feels like he can't breathe.

Eventually he climbs back into the jeep, finding Madge with her hot chocolate in her hands. She's blowing into the cup to cool it off.

"Sometimes cards don't work," she offers. "Machines are weird like that."

"Whatever," Gale mutters. And even more reluctantly, "Thanks." She smiles kindly at him but he still can't look at her. His hand darts for the radio and quickly he switches on some music. "I'll pay you back," he says. She opens her mouth to protest and Gale stops her before she can say a thing. "I'll pay you back," he repeats sternly.

They don't talk the rest of the drive to his house.

* * *

Madge feels like something bad has happened, she just isn't completely sure why. She knows that Gale has always been a little weird about money but his card wasn't working, and she wasn't about to break down in the street because they didn't have enough gas to get to his house. Really, Madge didn't mind. It wasn't that much and Gale's driven her around so many times she felt it was fair that she pay for his gas every once in a while.

He even said he's going to pay her back which eliminates any weirdness of the situation.

Madge sips her hot chocolate silently, wondering if she should say something.

The awkward silence is gone the second they arrive at his place things feel fine again. His family is incredibly happy to see her. Hazelle and Asher both welcome her with a hug and Posy flings herself at Madge so hard that Madge nearly falls over. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Gale watching her with his family and he's smiling fondly.

"Alright," Gale laughs after they berate her for a bit. _How've you been? How were your finals? How's your mother doing? _Gale swoops in and rests his arm over her shoulder, tugging her away from them. "You can bother her more at dinner, okay?"

Madge lets Gale drag her up to his bedroom and the second the door is shut, his lips are on hers. Gale presses her against the door, one of his hands on her waist and the other tangled in the back of her hair. She grins and tugs him closer, reveling in the way he groans.

Gale rocks his hips against her and the fact that they're in his bedroom with his family just downstairs makes Madge feel powerful. Gale groans into her mouth another time.

"What is it?" Madge asks, breaking away for just a moment.

"You taste like—" he kisses her again and Madge watches his eyes grow dark. "Hot chocolate," he breathes. Gale kisses her another time, this time more deeply than before.

It's only a few minutes before he's carried her to his bed (which _squeaks_ when he sets her down, might she add) and is settled with his hips against hers. Gale doesn't let up, his kisses are rough. He uses teeth, his grip is strong.

"Gale," finally Madge pulls away, tilting her head out of the way. He peels back but just barely, just enough that he can suckle on her throat. "_Gale_," Madge repeats. She grabs his head and tugs him upward by his hair. It takes his eyes a second to focus. "What are you—what's wrong?" she asks.

He shakes his head, clearly confused. "What?"

"You're being…" Madge props herself up on her elbows. "Rough," she finishes.

Gale blinks a few times before pulling back completely. "I'm sorry," he rasps. Gale sits up and drags his hand through his hair. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"No, you didn't," she tells him. Madge sits up too but leans forward, grabbing his chin and pulling Gale to look at her. "You just got… I mean it wasn't bad it just didn't feel like _you_." Gale's eyes shoot away and he takes a deep breath. He pushes himself from his bed and another loud squeak fills the air. Madge readjusts where she's sitting and watches as he paces the room. "What's wrong?" she asks. "What did I do?"

"Nothing," he murmurs. Gale drags his hands over his face. "Nothing."

"Gale—you won't even look at me!" He stops at his dresser and sighs, clutching the edge of it tightly. Madge purses her lips as he lets out another deep breath. "Why do I feel like you don't want me here?" she asks.

"I want you here," he grunts. "Fuck, just—sorry." Gale shakes his head. "Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Madge asks. "I'm just confused."

Gale still doesn't look at her, and they're both quiet for a long time. Madge is about to open her mouth another time when he exhales deeply again. "I can take care of myself," Gale grits out. His voice is thick like his teeth are clenched and he's trying not to sound angry, but he does. "I don't need you to take care of me, alright?"

Madge blinks a few times. "What?"

"At the gas station," Gale finally snaps, turning to look at her. "You didn't need to pay for me, I would've figured it out. Okay?"

Madge opens and closes her mouth a few times. "It was like, twenty dollars, Gale."

"That's not the point!" Gale sucks his teeth and drags both of his hands through his hair. "That isn't the point, Madge. The point is that you shouldn't have done it."

"I didn't realize it was that big of a deal," she says softly. "You drive me around all the time, I mean I figured if anything it was paying you back for that." Madge holds her hand up in a gentle surrender. "Stop yelling at me because you're upset."

Gale shakes his head and turns away from her another time. "You just, you don't understand. I work basically every day and take out loans and apply for grants all the time and still don't have enough money to pay for my own fucking gas?" He starts pacing. "And you just hand over your card like it's no fucking problem, it just swipes and goes through. And have you—have you ever had a job, Madge? Have you ever _needed _a job?"

Her jaw drops. Where is this _coming_ from? "Of course I've had a job," she nearly hisses. "I work all summer long. The only reason I don't have a job this year is because I didn't think I'd have time because I'd be going home to see my mom a lot." There's venom in her words, and Gale eases slightly once she's brought her mother into the conversation.

"That isn't what I meant," Gale tries, but it's too late.

"Then what did you mean?" she challenges. "Because to me it sounded like you were ready to pull the _rich Daddy _card again."

"_Madge_," Gale shakes his head. "Come on."

"Me? _Me_, come on? Listen to yourself, Gale!" She folds her legs underneath herself in a crisscross and extends her hands. "Should I have not come today?" she asks. "Was this a mistake?"

"No," Gale shakes his head. He quickly crosses his bedroom to her and sits on the edge of his bed. "I'm just—I'm not… I'm sorry." Madge crosses her arms over her chest. "I…" Gale starts, but clearly isn't sure how to finish. "Sometimes I feel so… insignificant, compared to you, Madge."

The tightness of her arms eases. Madge droops a little. "What?"

Gale shakes his head another time, this time looking away. "You live in a big house," he murmurs. "And you have a lot of money. And I know—I _know_," he interjects before she can, "that that isn't your fault. And I know your parents work hard, and you work hard, I know all of that." Madge pulls her bottom lip in between her teeth. "But… so do I, and so do my parents, and sometimes I just feel _so insignificant._"

"Gale I never meant for you to—"

"I know," he stops her. "I _know_. But sometimes—like when I can't pay for my own gas and you do it _for_ me—I feel that way."

Madge lowers her arms completely. "I'm sorry," she says softly. Gale shakes his head and she moves closer to him. "I'm sorry I've made you feel insignificant."

Still, he's shaking his head. "It sounds awful," he mutters.

_It _feels_ awful_, Madge thinks. Her stomach won't stop twisting. She's never known something so simple could make him feel so small. She reaches over to grab his hand. "You're so important to me," she whispers. "You know that, right?" Hesitantly, Gale tips his head forward. But he won't look at her. She feels tears coming to her eyes. All she's ever wanted is for Gale to feel important because of her, to feel loved by her. And all this time he's just felt small? "Should I leave?" she asks. "I can call a taxi to pick me up or something."

"No, stop." Gale turns to her. "Don't be ridiculous."

"If I had known you felt that way…"

"Stop," Gale says again. He reaches forward and tilts her chin up. "It's partly my fault. We talked about being honest and open and I'm just… not the best at it." He brushes his thumb over her cheek. "I'm trying to be better."

"I'll try too," she whispers. Gale bends down then, kissing her gently. It's so unlike earlier. Now he's soft, slow. Madge pulls back and he pins his forehead to hers. "Do you still want me to come for New Year's?" He nods against her and she smiles weakly. "I can help you, you know."

His eyebrows come together. "With what?"

"With the stuff for school," Madge says. "With finding grants and scholarships."

He sighs. "We can talk about it later, okay?"

But Madge wants to talk about it now. She wants things to feel better, not like she can't breathe or like she's about to cry. Gale's been through so much with her, helped her through so many things. And all this time he's been feeling like he's not good enough for her. How can she fix that? How can she change that?

* * *

The rest of the evening feels strained. Even during dinner Gale's family can tell something is up, their eyes shift back and forth between the two of them. By the time they climb into Gale's jeep Madge feels ready to cry all over again.

They've only been driving for a few minutes when Gale sighs loudly. "I don't want tonight to end this way," he says. Madge presses her lips together and blinks hard. "Because we're good, Madge. We work. And I want to be with you more than you can understand."

She sniffs. "Okay."

"See, that sounds…" Gale looks over at her briefly before returning his gaze to the road. "I don't want us to fight because I'm an asshole. You were only trying to help earlier, and I appreciate that."

"It just wasn't necessary," Madge murmurs. "I got it." Again he sighs.

"How can I make this better?" Gale asks, mostly to himself. "What can I do?"

Madge shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders. "It just feels like you don't actually want to be with me," she forces out. "Like this was all a mistake and you've just been playing pretend—" she cuts herself off with a sharp breath.

"That's not true," Gale fills in the silence. "It's not."

"We are fundamentally different people, Gale," she says. "If I can't even pay for your gas without you freaking out then what are we doing?"

Gale drags his hand over his face and pulls off to the side of the road. He takes a deep breath before turning to Madge. "My dad got in a car accident," he says. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry – it wasn't that bad. The boys were in the back seat. Everyone's fine though, they were a little sore for a day or two but they're okay."

Madge turns more in her seat. "Did anyone else get hurt?"

"No, it was from the icy roads. They slid into a ditch, it was just them." Madge nods and keeps her mouth shut, knowing this isn't her time to talk. "But so my dad didn't have the money to fix his car. We own a repair shop but we can't just, fix shit, you know? That's not how it works." Madge nods again and Gale sighs loudly. "So I paid for the repairs because they couldn't, what with Christmas around the corner. So I couldn't afford gas."

Madge reaches across the console to grab his hand. "Okay," she says softly.

"Okay," Gale repeats, staring at their hands. "And I worry about them because they're already funneling so much money to me, and I'm scared about how much money I'm going to owe once I graduate – and I can't even start _thinking _about grad school because of the _money_ and so I'm sorry—I'm _sorry_—that I freaked out. Because that is the only thing I allow myself to worry about. Money. Because I _never seem _to have enough."

"Gale—"

"But when I'm with you, even though you have more money than me, I don't worry about what's in my bank account or if I'm going to be able to pay for grad school or get birthday presents for my siblings. It doesn't become a problem anymore, Madge." He lets out a quiet laugh and shakes his head. "Except for when you swipe your card for me, and I'm forced to remember."

"I… I won't do it again," Madge whispers.

He squeezes her hands. "That's all I ask." Gale lifts her hands and kisses her knuckles quickly. "I'm not going to freak out again, or—I'm going to really try. I know I messed up. I'm sorry."

Madge pulls her hands from his grip and reaches over to cup his cheeks. "Okay," she says with a nod.

"Okay," Gale echoes. She pulls him down to her and kisses her gently. "Is this better?" he whispers, and she nods again before kissing him another time. "Okay," he smiles. "Can we end tonight with this? Like this?" he asks, and again Madge is nodding.

Gale kisses her again before she lowers her hands. "We still have a lot to learn about each other," she says.

"We do," Gale murmurs. "But we'll get there." Madge nods another time and Gale peers into his rearview to get a glimpse of the road before pulling back out into the street. "And just to be clear," he says once they're on the road, "I still want you to come for New Year's."

* * *

_A/N: Happy Thursday, hope you're all doing well!_


	25. all the way home i'll be warm

_when we finally kiss goodnight, how i'll hate going out in the storm_  
_but if you really hold me tight, all the way home i'll be warm_

* * *

_**From Gale – 9:32 PM  
**__**Home safe**_

_From Madge – 9:33 PM  
Thanks for letting me know. _

_**From Gale – 9:37 PM  
Im sorry.**_

Gale collapses on the couch with a sigh, swinging his arm over his forehead. By the heavy footsteps that enter the living room he prepares for a conversation with his father. He waits for Asher to clear his throat.

"Are you two fighting?" he asks. Gale shrugs. "Talk to me, son. Even Posy knew something was wrong."

Gale sighs again before removing his arm from his eyes. He turns on his side to look at his father. "I think we're okay now," Gale admits. "I don't really want to talk about it." Asher presses his lips together but nods his head. Gale slings his arm back over his face. "She's too good for me," Gale murmurs. His father sighs loudly but Gale shrugs again. "That's all there is to it."

"_Basta_," Asher says gently. "That isn't true, _hijo_."

"No, it is," Gale counters. "I yelled at her today about _money_." Gale scrubs at his face, feeling awful. "We—we talked about it, I just still… I feel awful."

Asher looks at him thoughtfully for a moment before leaning forward in his chair. "Our family has never been very rich when it comes to money," he says gently. "But when it comes to love, we are the richest people there are." Gale sighs, feeling his chest go tight. "And if Madge cannot see that, then—"

"That's not," Gale cuts him off. "That's not the issue. It's me, not her. She doesn't care about that, she cares about _me_, but—"

"Then there's no _but_," Asher stops him. "Money doesn't matter, Gale. You should know that, we raised you to know that." Again his chest feels tight. "Everyone who looks can see how much Madge loves you," Asher tells his son. The word love causes Gale to pause. He sinks down into the couch, wishing it could swallow him whole. "And if you love her, you can get through this."

Gale swings his arm back over his face, grunting in response.

* * *

Madge continues to feel uneasy about her fight with Gale. All she was trying to do was help him and he made her feel like she made a mistake, like she had done something wrong.

If her mother wasn't already asleep she would ask her what to do. Instead Madge closes herself in her room and dials her phone, hoping the person she's calling isn't already asleep. After a few rings Madge is relieved to hear Katniss's voice.

"Madge?" she asks. "You okay? Is it your mom?"

"Katniss," Madge sighs in relief. She sinks backwards onto her bed. "I just, I didn't know who else to ask about this, and you've known Gale for _forever _and—"

Katniss stops her friend immediately. "What did he do?"

Madge explodes with the story unable to keep it in any longer. She talks about how Gale's card was rejected multiple times, how she paid for his gas, and how he later made her feel _bad_ for it. Madge feels like she could be sick. "People aren't supposed to make you feel like that," Madge finishes. "Especially not your boyfriend. Right?"

"Right," Katniss agrees. "You were trying to help." Madge feels infinitely better hearing that said out loud, especially coming from Katniss who knows Gale so well and who has also suffered some money troubles. "I don't want to make excuses for him," Katniss says.

"Then don't. But I want to understand. So help me with that."

Katniss sighs loudly and then begins. Gale grew up in a family that struggled making ends meet. He started mowing lawns for money in sixth grade, got a job at a local grocery store in eighth grade, and worked all through high school. He hardly ever bought things for himself, most of it he just gave to his family. On top of that he took harder classes than he could handle because he wanted to go to a good school, and he worked his ass off in soccer to get a sports scholarship – only Gale never got that scholarship. On top of that he's never been in a relationship before, at least not as serious as the one he's in with Madge.

"He has a limited understanding of how to be personable," Katniss says. "But like I said, that's no excuse."

"He just always thinks he's right," Madge mutters. "And he's not. I'm right. At least this time." Madge doesn't know what else to say. Mostly she wants to talk to Gale some more, yell at him instead of being passive like she was earlier. She wants to feel validated. "Right?"

* * *

Katniss and Madge talk all through the night, eventually drifting off of Gale. They haven't talked much since they've been home so it's nice to catch up. Madge sleeps in later than usual and wakes to a few texts from Gale, asking if they can talk. And because she's still sleepy and still kind of upset, she ignores him.

It's a shitty thing to do. She knows that.

He texts her again a few hours later. And then again later.

_**From Gale – 6:18 PM  
You have your read receipts on… I know youre ignoring me…**_

Madge really needs to turn those off.

* * *

Gale gives her some space, which is nice. Madge spends her time playing the piano and sitting by the fire with her mother talking about things she's scared she'll never get to talk about again. She paints her nails. She reads a book. She ignores the daily text Gale sends asking, kindly, to talk.

He shows up at her house on Christmas Eve.

To be fair, he texted her, but Madge was baking cookies with her mother and ignored it with an eye roll without even opening it. When the doorbell rings she's still covered in flour, and her father calls out that he'll get it. Mrs. Undersee is playfully scolding the shapes Madge is making the cookies into when her father calls her name.

"You have a visitor," he yells out.

Madge rushes out to the front room and finds Gale standing by the door with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "I texted you that I was coming," he murmurs.

"Um," Madge holds up her hands, still covered in dough. She probably should have read his message. "I have to wash my hands," she says. "Um… sit… sit down," she says, gesturing to the couch before doubling back and rushing into the kitchen. "Gale's here," she tells her mother quietly as she turns on the sink, quickly washing her hands. "I'm still mad at him."

"Well of course you are," Mrs. Undersee says. "You haven't talked to him." Madge scrubs the dough out from under her fingernails. "Your father can help me in here," she says. "_Talk_ to him."

With a deep breath Madge dries her hands on a hand towel before rushing back out to Gale who's uncomfortably settled on the couch. She stands in the entryway to the living room and fiddles with the apron she tied on earlier to help cook. "You've been ignoring me," Gale finally says, clearing his throat.

Madge narrows her eyes. "So you thought the correct thing to do was drive out and see me?"

"You haven't talked to me in a week, Madge."

"See, that's the thing," she says, marching toward him. "You always think what you do is right." Gale averts his eyes and sinks backwards on the couch. "You think you can't do anything wrong. You think, 'oh, Madge is ignoring me, so I should drive out and force her to stop ignoring me!'" Gale sighs and shakes his head. "You thought it was okay to _yell at me_ for doing something I thought was nice! You thought it was _okay_ to make me feel bad for _caring_ about you! And you got me to _apologize _for it!"

Gale nearly shouts, "I messed up!" His voice is loud, but not scary or angry. He drags his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, that was—" Gale presses his hands to his face. "I'm sorry," he says again, much softer and much more broken than before. Madge sighs and her shoulders droop. She slowly crosses the room to the couch he's on and sits beside him. "I can't stop thinking about it," Gale murmurs. "It's such a stupid… thing, and you're right, you weren't trying to upset me. And I still…" he sighs, shaking his head another time.

"You made me feel awful," she says plainly. "All because I was trying to do something nice."

"I know," Gale rasps. "And I'm sorry." He lifts his head from his hands and looks at her. "I was wrong. And I messed up." Madge holds his gaze but makes no attempt to reach for him. "I shouldn't have snapped at you, and I shouldn't have said half the things I said. And I'm sorry. And I know that saying sorry isn't enough, but I don't know what else to do to fix this."

Madge isn't entire sure either. Only she says, "You're not paying me back. For the gas."

Gale clears his throat. "Okay."

"Because me paying for your gas wasn't a power play, Gale."

"Okay," he says again.

Still, Madge is staring at him. "I want to get you something for Christmas."

Gale blinks a few times, his eyes widening slightly. He hesitates. "We agreed no presents this year…" he says quietly.

"I know. But I want to get you something."

He takes a deep breath and dips his head forward slightly. He clears his throat again, clearly struggling with this. "I didn't get you anything," he breathes.

"That isn't the point," she says. "The point is that I want to do something for you that will make me feel good. The _point_," Madge stresses, scooting closer, "is that I want to do things for you without penalty. I want to do things _just because._" She finally reaches forward and cups his cheek, pulling him up a bit. "And I want to do it without feeling like the bad guy."

Gale's eyes flicker to her lips and he swallows thickly. "I'm not used to people doing things for me _just because_," he whispers.

Madge smiles a little bit. "I've noticed," she whispers back. "But you're going to have to get used to it with me." Gale nods ever so slightly and Madge's smile widens. "I _know_ you, Gale," she says. "It's not like I'm going to throw money at you." He lets out a short breath of air and nods another time. "Okay?"

"Okay." He covers her hand with his own and leans closer. "I'm sorry," he says again. Madge tips her head back and their lips brush. Gale pulls her toward him gently and Madge smiles. "Wait," Gale pulls back suddenly, his other hand now on her cheek. "Can we talk next time?" he asks. "Instead of you ignoring me for a week? Please?"

Madge is still smiling as she nods. "That was shitty of me," she says.

"It was," Gale agrees, and then he kisses her again. They're tentative kisses, slow and cautious, but Madge feels better. And though Gale wishes this fight had never happened, he's glad that everything has been handled. His father was right, he wasn't raised to stress about money in relationships like he has been. "I'm going to be better," he murmurs between their lips. Gale isn't going to _try_, he's just _going_ to be. He owes that to Madge, for how he's treated her. "I promise."

Madge nods and smiles. Soon they part and Gale lowers his forehead to hers. Both of his hands are on her cheeks now, his thumbs brushing her skin gently.

"Gale," Madge whispers. She dips in a little so their noses brush and thinks back to something Katniss had said. "I know I'm your first… real relationship, in a while."

"You are," he whispers back.

She hesitates but he tips her chin back up, wanting her to finish her thought. "I don't want us to struggle," she finally carries on. "I want us to grow. I want us to grow _together_, and… and sometimes that involves some struggling, but, I don't know. I can…" again she hesitates. "I can see…" Madge stops. "I want you in my future," she says firmly.

Gale nods, a smile blossoming on his face. "I can see you in my future too," he says softly. "And I want that too."

Again they kiss. It isn't until Mrs. Undersee rolls into the living room with a plate of warm cookies do the two of them part.

* * *

Christmas morning Gale wakes up to a shrieking Posy who is _more than ready_ to open her presents.

Gale pulls on a shirt and makes his way down to the living room where everyone is waiting and ready. He feels better than he has all week. He knows he shouldn't have just driven to Madge's the night before, especially considering she hadn't texted him back, but he was starting to worry and she wouldn't answer him. He'd been starting to think the worst – that maybe something had happened to her mother. He wasn't thinking rationally so he'd climbed into his jeep and took off.

Of course everything was fine, she was just angry with him. And when she elaborated her side of things he _understood_. It made Gale feel awful, knowing he'd made Madge feel that bad. He had thought if anything, she'd be happy he was opening up and sharing his side of the story. Gale may have forgotten relationships involve _two_ sides of the story, however. He'd never bothered to ask for hers. So of course she was mad, and he let her yell at her, and the night ended better than he had anticipated.

After taking a few Christmas morning photos, Hazelle starts passing out presents. Gale knows he only has a few small things under the tree so he relaxes backwards on the couch while the kids scramble across the floor. He digs his phone out of his pocket to take a few photos and finds an email from Madge titled _Merry Christmas_. Slightly panicking and not entirely sure what to expect, Gale opens it quickly

_Gale,_

_I told you I wanted to get you something for Christmas, so here you go. Please, please, please do not look at this as though I'm trying to be condescending. You are so incredibly important to me and I just want to help. Call me later? I can help you work through it._

_x, Madge_

Confused, Gale scrolls the rest of the way down the email and finds… links. A lot of different links. One section is titled _grants_, another is titled _scholarships_. Madge has compiled a master list of different things Gale can apply for to get more money for school.

His heart soars in his chest and he smiles, setting his phone down to enjoy Christmas with his family.

"This one's for you!" Posy shouts, pulling out a rather large box and sliding it in Gale's direction. His parents look excited, but nervous, and Gale laughs a little.

"You didn't have to get me anything," he says to his family, but they urge him to open the box. Inside is a new (used) laptop, and Gale can't stop smiling. His current one is probably going to break soon and he had been trying to save up for something nice. This is going to last him for a while. He climbs from the couch to hug both of his parents, suddenly feeling like this Christmas is going to be one for the books.

Rory gets a few new video games, Vick gets a new bike, and Posy gets a whole collection of Barbie dolls. Overall, the Hawthorne family makes out with a great Christmas.

Madge on the other hand gets so many things she doesn't even know what to do with them. Most of it is clothes, her mother's started online shopping ever since she started chemotherapy, and Madge is thankful that they're fashionable. She gets new boots, a Keurig to take back to school, and a very large amount of DVDs. She also gets a lava lamp, a new tablet, and a subscription to HBO GO.

"I thought we were cutting back," Madge says after opening another huge box of clothes. "On spending. For you," she says, looking toward her mom. "For your treatment."

"We cut back enough to get you these things," her mother says. "And we were happy to. We wanted to make this Christmas special."

Madge smiles to try and hide the tears that are coming to her eyes. "Of course it's special," Madge says. Because it's going to be her mother's last.

* * *

Both of Madge's parents have gone to bed by the time her phone rings that evening. She's curled up by the fire and smiles when she sees Gale's name, trying to FaceTime. She fluffs her hair and fixes her posture before accepting the call.

The phone beeps and then Gale's face is on her screen. He looks sleepy and that alone makes Madge feel warm. "Merry Christmas, baby," he says, and her heart leaps.

"Merry Christmas," she says back. "How was your day?"

"It was really good," Gale says. He launches into an explanation of what all of the kids got, how they all worked together to make cookies like they do every Christmas, how Posy convinced him to go outside and go sledding even though he doesn't have any real snow clothes. "Posy fell asleep with all four of her Barbie dolls in bed with her, and I think Rory and Vick are still up playing their new game."

"That's great," Madge says with a smile. "You know, I texted Bristel wishing her a merry Christmas before I remembered that she's Jewish." Gale chuckles a little. "I remembered with Thom, though."

"He celebrates Christmas with Delly," Gale says. "Or, well, they exchange gifts." Madge feels her face go a little warm. "Speaking of gifts…" he trails off. She presses her lips together to fight off protesting whatever he's about to say and jut waits for him to say it. "Thank you," he says softly. "I've been looking over the links you sent me, I have a few applications open now." He flips the camera of his phone to show her his new laptop and the few tabs he has opened. "I have to get to work," Gale says, flipping the camera back. "Most of them are due really soon."

"I know," Madge says. "I'm sorry for the short notice, but with the new semester coming up—"

"I know, I know," he cuts her off with a smile. "It's not a problem, Madge. I'm… excited to get them done." The bill for spring semester comes out in late January, a few days after the start of the semester. Gale's hoping to have it all covered without any loans. "For Valentine's Day," he says, propping his chin up on his hand, "I am buying you the best champagne. And we are going to—"

"We already have Valentine's Day plans?" Madge asks brightly. "Because I was not consulted. But champagne…"

He laughs. "We can talk more about it when it gets closer," he says. "But I already have a mock-plan."

"Well color me excited," Madge says. Gale wants to kiss her. He knows he spent a lot of last night kissing her, and then eating sugar cookies, and then kissing her some more. But he wants to be by her side right now, tangling his fingers in her hair and holding her close. "New Year's is still on?" she asks, sort of hesitantly.

"If you still want to come," Gale says, "then yes." After a moment he adds, "I still want you to come."

"Then I'll be there," she tells him. "I'm just not exactly sure what to wear…" she trails off.

Gale grins. She's going to be beautiful no matter what she chooses. He's just happy she's still coming.

* * *

_A/N: I've been told again and again that I write Madge as a pushover, and I recognize that last chapter she just kind of accepted Gale's fight, but I don't really like that. And apparently, neither did Madge. It's one of those things that I believe they're always going to struggle with, bu they both care about each other very deeply and are willing to try to deal with it. Happy holidays to all! Haha. I hope everyone's doing well. _


	26. to make it through, for you

_A/N: Kind of steamy towards the end - not sure if it classifies an M because I'm not a smut writer (so if you know that stuff lemme know if I should change the rating). Sorry for the lag in update, but here's a longer chapter for you!_

* * *

_oh my love, oh my love will you take me home?_  
_when i'm lost, when i'm lost will you keep me close?_

* * *

After hugging her mom for a _very, very _long time and kissing her father on the cheek, Madge climbs into her car to drive to Gale's. She's chosen to wear a dress even though it's _freezing_ outside because she's going to be inside for the party anyway and buildings full of people partying always get really warm. That and because it makes her legs look awesome. She's sure Gale's going to think so too, which is sure to lead to a very hot night.

But when she gets to Gale's she sits in her car for a few minutes, wondering if she should've brought the dress to change into. Will his parents judge her for being in a short, sparkly dress? She gnaws on her bottom lip and considers changing in her car, but that would be even _more_ scandalous if someone was to see. But still, the dress is slightly revealing and she doesn't really want his parents to see her like this. After a bit more of internal debate Madge lets out a long breath. It's too late now, she should just go inside. Finally she straightens up and leaves her car, carefully walking in her heels along the salted sidewalk.

Madge knocks a few times on the door before it's opened, and smiles at Posy on the other end.

"Madge!" she cheers. There's some loud noises in the kitchen that sounds like maybe the dishwasher is being unloaded. "_¡Gale, tu novia esta aqui!"_ Posy opens the door more and waves Madge inside. "You look _muy bonita_, very pretty!"

"Thank you Posy," Madge says with a smile. She steps inside and shivers a little, thankful that the Hawthorne's home is warm, and smiles when she sees Gale bounding down the staircase. "Hey, you," Madge calls, causing Gale to pause.

"Holy shit," he rasps.

"Gale!"

"Sorry, Pose," he says quickly. Gale races down the rest of the stairs and pulls Madge toward him, cupping both of her cheeks and kissing her deeply. "You look incredible," he breathes, and she smiles. He can't even see her entire dress because of her coat, but she likes the sentiment anyway. Gale kisses her again and she laughs against his mouth. "Okay," Gale pulls back and looks over his shoulder at Posy. "When are you all leaving again?" he asks.

Posy sticks out her tongue. "_Ma_," she hollers, marching into the kitchen. "Gale wants to know when we're leaving!"

"And why would Gale want to know _that_?" Hazelle calls back before marching out into the foyer. Hazelle pauses when she sees Madge and places her hands on her hips. A smirk fills her face. "Of _course_ Gale wants to know when we're leaving," Hazelle says. She strides toward Madge and holds her arms out. "You look beautiful, Sweetheart," Hazelle says as she greets Madge with a hug. "We're leaving in about an hour," she says as she parts, shooting a pointed look in her son's direction who's smiling sheepishly from a few steps back. "Not that it matters," she continues, "because you'll be sleeping in Vick and Rory's room, won't you Gale?"

Gale clears his throat and tips his head forward. "Yep," he forces out. That was one of the rules. If Madge is staying the night without any other family in the house, then they're _not_ sleeping in the same room. Hazelle doesn't quite care if they're college adults.

"If you're staying in _my_ house," Hazelle had said when Gale brought it up, "and sleeping under _my_ roof, then those are _my_ rules! _¿Claro?_"

So those are the rules. Asher winked from over Hazelle's shoulder, but Gale decided not to mention it.

He steps forward and slides his arms around Madge's waist, propping his chin up on Madge's shoulder. "We'll be good," Madge squeaks out, causing Gale to chuckle. He kisses her cheek and Madge pastes a bright smile on her face at his mother.

"You better be," she scolds them, before smirking again and walking back into the kitchen.

* * *

Still, Gale drags Madge up to his bedroom. He hitches her against the door the second it's closed and kisses her deeply. Madge groans into his mouth and wraps her legs around his hips while his hands slide up her calves.

"The dress was a good choice," he breathes before breaking away and peppering kisses down her throat. She unbuttoned her coat as they made their way up the stairs so now that they're alone he can really see how revealing it is. "Easy access." Madge laughs as he wraps his arms around her and carries her to his bed which squeaks as he lays her down. Again he moves to her throat, suckling on the spot below her ear and causing her to gasp.

"Gale!" She reaches down and grabs his head, yanking him up. "Your family is _still here_!"

Gale groans and pins his forehead to hers. "Yeah, yeah," he murmurs. He bends down and kisses her again. "But tonight…"

"Mm," Madge hums. She closes her eyes, thinking. _"Quiero besar todas las partes de cuerpo_," she murmurs slowly, as though she's unsure. Gale's eyes nearly bulge out of his body. It takes him a moment to react. _I want to kiss you all over your body_.

"Holy shit," Gale rasps. Madge grins as he sits up, forcing himself to restrain himself before _actually_ losing his mind. He places his hands behind his head as he leans away just to be sure. "Where did you learn that?"

Madge blushes prettily, still smiling, and shrugs her shoulders. "I, um, looked into some phrases online." Gale groans again, sitting up and scrubbing at his face. "Was that right?" she asked. "I—I didn't know if it would match up." She knows he speaks Spanish, obviously, but isn't sure if it's Mexican Spanish or Spain Spanish or Puerto Rican or anything, and she doesn't know too much about how it all lines up. "But I figured—"

"No, yeah," Gale cuts her off gently. "It was good." Really good.

"There's another," she says. He arches an eyebrow and watches her lick her lips. "_Hazme el amor_," Madge whispers. Gale lets out a soft breath. _Make love to me_. But Madge spoke the H in the beginning which is supposed to be silent.

He smiles, turning back to her. "Close," he breathes. "_Hazme el amor_," Gale repeats. "_Hazme_." Ahhs-mey. He crawls back toward her, his hands easing up her legs. "And tonight," he exhales. "I am making love to you."

"_Hazme el amor_," Madge tries again, and Gale nods.

"That's it," he murmurs and she smiles brilliantly. Gale dips back down, kissing her again. "You're gonna kill me, Princess," he tells her. And he doesn't even mind.

* * *

More than once Vick remarks, "I can't believe I'm not going to see you until _next year_!" And soon enough all the kids are piled into the car.

Asher hugs his son last after Hazelle is in the car as well. "I'm not going to say anything to your mother," he says quietly. "But for the love of God, be careful. _¿Bien_?"

"_Si_," Gale nearly groans. "Go," he nudges his father toward the car. "I'm not an idiot, _Padre_."

"Alcohol makes everyone an idiot," he warns. Asher winks and claps Gale on the shoulder before climbing into the car. He waves at Madge and Gale in the doorway before they drive away.

* * *

New Year's Eve parties are strange, Gale thinks, as they arrive at eight o'clock. They go on for _literally hours_ with the sole purpose being waiting until midnight. But when they get there everyone is already drinking, the music is already loud, and Gale is ready to party. Madge shivers, the walk over was a little cold, but smiles once they step inside.

"Do I get to meet your friends?" she asks, and Gale nods as they make their way through the house. They round the corner into a kitchen where there's a group of five people, all who cheer when they spot Gale.

"It's about time you got here, Hawthorne!"

"Gale! It's great to see you!"

"Hey, hey," Gale laughs as the two girls hug him quickly, then he motions back to Madge. "This is Madge," he says to them as she steps forward.

"The _girlfriend_," one of the boy teases, holding out his hand to greet her. "Nice to meet you."

"This is Doug," Gale says, pointing to the boy who shook Madge's hand. "Richie, Wayne," he says about the other two boys. "Marnie, and Leevy."

"Nice to meet you all," Madge says brightly. "I'll probably forget names, but—"

"Don't worry about it," Wayne stops her, also reaching out to shake her hand. "We'll help you out." He motions to the counter where all of the alcohol is lined up and offers to make Madge a drink, which she agrees to at once. Something sweet, she says, and he gets right to work while Gale catches up with a few his friends.

"Well don't you just look so nice all dressed up," one of the girls says to Gale. Leevy, Madge thinks. She glances over her shoulder as Leevy steps toward Gale and rests her hand on his forearm. "I don't think I remember you looking this nice since my prom," she hums. Madge arches an eyebrow and turns back to Wayne who has a red cup in his hands for her. He makes a face at Madge, detecting he knows she's picked up on Leevy's presence, before passing the cup over.

Madge smiles. "Thanks."

Gale steps past his friends and grabs the cup from her hand, lifting it to take a drink before she can. "Shit, Wayne," Gale says, lowering the cup. "This tastes like gasoline."

"Perfect," Madge says, reaching up to take her cup back. Gale frowns as she takes a drink and remains unflinching at the amount of vodka in the drink. Gale can't keep his frown for long, soon it morphs into a little smile as well. It's going to be a good night.

* * *

Peeta and Katniss show up within the hour and even though Gale's friends are very friendly, she's relieved to see familiar faces. She hugs the both of them and tells them where the drinks are, but Peeta hangs back considering he doesn't drink. "Gale's friends are really nice," she tells him, bouncing slightly to the music that's playing in the other room. "But there's this girl, Leevy? She keeps flirting with him."

Peeta smirks. He lifts Madge's cup and takes a whiff, causing him to cough. "Jesus, Madge. How much have you had?"

"Hardly any," she says, waving her hand. "But, I don't know, I have a bad feeling about this girl, Peeta."

He laughs a little. "Gale isn't who he used to be, you know. There's nothing to worry about."

"I'm not worried about _him_," Madge murmurs. She turns, looking across the room at Leevy who's by the wall. She's talking to the other girl, Marnie, but her eyes are elsewhere. And when Madge follows her gaze she finds it on Gale. Madge takes a big drink from her cup. "I'm worried about _her_."

* * *

Madge finds Gale in the kitchen mixing drinks and approaches him by wrapping her arms around his waist and resting against his back. He spins and smiles at her. "Are you tired?" he asks with a laugh, and she smiles back, shaking her head. "Are you bored?"

"Mm… maybe," she says. Gale turns completely and she climbs her hands up his chest before latching behind his neck. Gale leans down to kiss her before she pulls back a little. "Your friends are nice," she says. Gale pauses, arching an eyebrow in confusion. "Wayne's friendly," she carries on. "He makes good drinks."

"_I_ make good drinks," Gale corrects. "He makes poison."

"And Richie has The Slag Heap on his phone, so I like him too," Madge continues. Gale laughs a little. "But I don't think Lacey likes me very much."

Gale pauses, tilting his head to the side. "Leevy, you mean?"

"Right." Gale tilts his head again and she makes a face. "I thought you went to prom with Katniss?" Madge asks, remembering something Leevy said early. The girl mentioned Gale being dressed up at prom, which sounded odd to Madge.

"I went to Katniss's prom with Katniss," Gale says. "I took Leevy to mine."

"Hmm…" Madge trails off, unsure of what to do with this information. She decides the best approach is to ignore it. "Can you come dance with me?" she asks. Gale narrows his eyes and laughs a little. "I want to get stupid drunk and make out with you," she says.

"I think you're already a little stupid drunk," Gale says with a laugh. He reaches for the counter and grabs his cup, lifting it to his lips to take a quick drink. "I'll find you in a few minutes, yeah?"

"I'll go dance with Katniss, then," she hums. "Pretend like we're at prom." Gale laughs before he pulls her toward him and kisses her quickly. Madge then leaves the kitchen another time, off to find her friend.

Madge is gone for only a few seconds when Leevy walks in. She saunters up to the counter and leans backwards against it, looking in Gale's direction as he adds a little bit more orange soda to his drink. Gale turns his head to look at her and smiles.

Leevy's not a bad person. They dated back in high school but that was years ago. It was brief, it happened after he ended things with Katniss. And maybe she's been his New Year's kiss for the past few years, considering he hasn't had a date to any. Leevy's incredibly beautiful, Gale's not going to deny that, but there's nothing there anymore.

"So you have a date this year," Leevy says. "Leaving me hanging."

"I have a _girlfriend_ this year," Gale corrects. Because he needs that to be very clear. Madge is not just his date, she's his girlfriend. Leevy pouts a little. "In fact I've got to find her before Richie starts hitting on her."

Leevy laughs. "Maybe you should let him." Gale lifts his cup and takes a big drink, arching an eyebrow at her. "Just for fun. See how she takes to it."

And while Gale thinks that might be an interesting move, he doesn't like the feeling in his stomach at that idea. He doesn't like that Leevy's suggested it, he doesn't like the idea of someone flirting with Madge, and he certainly doesn't like the idea that she might flirt back.

"I've got to find her," Gale says another time, tipping his head in Leevy's direction before marching out of the kitchen to find his girlfriend. And when he does she's dancing with Katniss, just as she said she was going to.

* * *

Madge slips away right before the ball drops because she has to pee. She's gone maybe five minutes and when she returns she finds Leevy by Gale's side, looking up at him hopefully. Gnawing on her bottom lip Madge lingers back, her eyes on the two of them while she fights some sort of fire in her chest.

Madge has never been jealous before. Not like this. She's never needed to be. But Leevy and Gale clearly have some sort of history she doesn't know about, and like every other girl Gale's been involved with she's drop dead gorgeous. She already fits in with his friend group and she seems to linger by his side so naturally.

She crosses her arms over her chest as Leevy grabs Gale's hand, touching each of his fingers as she says something. Madge feels victorious when Gale jerks his hand away, looking down at Leevy with a frown and shaking his head.

"_No_," he says, loudly enough that Madge can hear. Leevy looks disappointed but stays by his side and continues to say something else.

Suddenly the room is filled with chanting, they're counting down from 60 and Gale looks up from Leevy almost desperately. When his eyes find Madge's he grins and his entire face lights up. He strides over to her in three long steps and Madge smiles, too.

"There you are," he says. They're not even at 30 seconds yet when Gale bends down, lightly pressing his lips to hers. Madge smiles into his mouth, stepping on her toes to make herself closer. They part around 15 seconds and Gale bumps her nose with his. "Happy New Year," he whispers.

"Happy New Year," she whispers back.

And then his lips are on her again. He tastes like orange soda, and Gale's hand swings around to the small of her back to pull her toward him. They're still kissing when everyone shouts for the new year and silver sparkling confetti is tossed into the air. Gale doesn't pull away until everyone else is finished with their kisses as well. A smile blooms on Madge's face that makes the air rush from Gale's lungs.

"I am so incredibly lucky," Gale murmurs as he tugs Madge into his arms, "to spend tonight with you."

"The year," she corrects into his chest with a smile.

_Forever_, Gale can't help but think.

* * *

With the New Year in full swing, everyone starts taking shots. The only time Gale's ever really seen Madge drunk was the night of her Aunt's wedding, and she got pretty emotional then. But for now she's laughing and cheering with his friends who've welcomed her into their group like she's one of them.

Well, except for Leevy.

Gale's still frustrated with her. Right before the ball dropped she found him in the crowd, asking again if they could share a kiss. Gale reminded her that he has a girlfriend, but she simply shrugged.

"I don't see here anywhere," Leevy said. "It's not going to _hurt_ anyone."

"_No_," Gale nearly snapped at her. "I _love _her, okay?"

Leevy looked taken aback at that, murmuring under her breath that she was sorry and she'd leave him alone. That was when Gale found Madge in the crowd and he nearly sprinted to her.

_I love her. I love her. I love her_. It rang through his head like a song on repeat. He hadn't said it out loud before, he wasn't even sure if he'd thought it? But he needed Leevy to know _why _he'd never bend, _why_ he kept pushing her away. It was common decency to anyone in a relationship, but he _also loves her_.

Gale looks at Madge now with a smile on his face as she and Katniss twist their arms together before taking a shot. Katniss makes a face before bursting out in laughter and Madge won't stop bouncing on her toes.

"Gale!" Madge cheers, motioning him over. With a little laugh he strides to his girlfriend. "Take a shot!"

"Mm, okay." Still grinning he pours a shot and takes it quickly – straight vodka – and shudders afterwards.

"Another!"

"Slow down, God of Thunder," Gale teases. Madge is all sunshine right now and he's absolutely adoring it. "I want to be able to live up to that promise I made you earlier." Madge's eyebrows collide instantly. "_Mi amor_," he reminds her gently.

Madge's eyes widen, remembering the two of them exchanging phrases in Spanish, as Katniss sticks out her tongue at them in disgust. "Save it for the _bedroom_," she exclaims, a hitch in her voice that allows Gale to _know_ she's plastered.

"I'll slow down," Madge says to Gale, ignoring Katniss who's still fake-gagging to Peeta. She reaches up to him, sliding her hands over the stubble on his cheeks before circling behind his neck and teasing the ends of his hair. "I wanna kiss you all over."

Gale grins, his head a little light from alcohol.

"Ugh," Peeta joins in with Katniss's gagging noises. "Shut up!"

Madge laughs and presses herself on her toes to kiss Gale soundly.

* * *

And, okay, they agreed to slow down, but they still do another shot anyway. And the next thing Gale knows they're on a couch in Doug's living room where it's pretty dark and some people are bopping to some distant tune that won't filter through his head. Gale is once again very thankful for Madge's choice in wearing a dress because she's hitched a leg around him and his hands keep teasing their way up her thigh as they kiss.

And they kiss.

And they kiss.

Suddenly Madge murmurs something as Gale suckles on her throat that makes him pause. "What was that?" he breathes, pulling back slightly.

Madge drags her hands through his hair and pulls him up to face her completely. "You're mine," she enunciates clearly. Gale blinks a few times while watching her eyes darken. Her tone is quiet, but demanding. It's an order. "_Mine_," she says another time, needing him to know this.

Gale isn't sure where it comes from, the forcefulness behind her words, but it sends warmth straight to his groin. She's being possessive. She's claiming him, if only by the way she's looking at him in this moment. And it is so fucking hot.

Gale nods frantically and bends down to capture her lips another time. This time teeth are clashing and Gale groans as Madge moves her hands from his hair to slide under his shirt. Her nails dig into his back and he forces himself to part before he humps her on the goddamn couch.

"_Fuck_, baby," he breathes as they part. "PDA?" he asks. She's always been against that, right from when they began. Madge shakes her head and pulls him back to her. "Drunk," he rasps, tilting his head slightly. No matter how muddled his brain is from all the alcohol he's had, he knows that Madge is drunk, and so is he, and no matter how much he's enjoying this time on this couch, public displays of affection are _not_ her thing. "Madge," he cups her cheeks and she nearly whines. "We can… we can go somewhere," he says. Katniss and Peeta left ten? twenty? minutes ago, and Gale's house _is_ only right down the road. They could be there in five.

"Who _cares_," she says, kissing him another time. Gale groans once again and she smiles against his mouth. "I want everyone to know," she whispers. "That you're. _Mine_." Fuck, he's going to end up grinding into her more than he already is. Doug is going to come and kick them out of his house. "Not hers," she adds breathily.

"What?" Madge kisses him again before she answers, clearly under the influence and feeling the spirit of the New Year. Still, her words are tumbling around in his brain. "Madge," he breaks apart and cups her cheeks another time. "What are you talking about?" She doesn't say anything but her eyes flicker past him briefly. Quickly he glances over his shoulder to see who she was staring at and finds Leevy looking at the two of them with a frown. Gale whirls back around to face his girlfriend. "Are you jealous?" he nearly chokes out.

"Gale…" Madge hesitates and her cheeks turn pink. "I… no, I—"

He cuts her off with a kiss and leans so she's pressed against the side of the couch. He pulls her bottom lip between his teeth and she groans loudly, causing Gale to rock his hips into hers.

"Yours," he pants and suckles along her throat. Madge's eyes are closed and her head is thrown back. "Yours, yours, _yours_," he repeats it until it doesn't sound like a word anymore. No one else's. A long time ago he might've been with Leevy but that time has passed. He wants nothing more than to be with Madge and only Madge. She grips tightly to his shirt. "Shouldn't be jealous," he forces out, trying to string his words together before saying them but needing her to know. "_Pentenezco a ti_," he breathes. _I belong to you. "Siempre, siempre…_"

Madge can't know what he means. She's drunk and she doesn't speak Spanish. But she must know it's important. They're both heaving for air when she forces his forehead to hers.

"We have to get out of here," she exhales. Gale nods in agreement.

* * *

Neither of them are entirely sure how they make it back to Gale's house. Sometime while Madge is nibbling his throat he remembers to lock and bolt the door, and together they scamper up the stairs. With a shriek of laughter after kicking off her shoes Gale carries her to his bed.

They tear the clothes off one another without any pretense. Gale's shirt and pants end up on the floor, Madge's dress is pulled up and over her head. Her underclothes match, a soft pink color that make Gale itch to have her closer. He groans as she unclips her bra, sending it into the pile with the rest of their clothes

"_Hazme el amor,_" Madge pants desperately in perfect Spanish. He suckles on her throat as he blindly reaches into his pillowcase for a condom. "_Please_, Gale," she pleads. With his freehand he reaches down, sliding in between her thighs. It takes a bit of maneuvering to get her panties off but finally she shudders when his fingers part her and moans loudly when he eases inside.

She comes crying his name with an arched back, gripping his sheets to keep herself from floating away. And Gale thinks about having her climb on top but she wants him to make love to her, so instead he takes his boxers off and rolls on a condom and carefully slides inside with her still on her back. Madge gasps as he enters her and he reaches forward, tangling their fingers together while he moves.

It's much more coordinated than last time, even if they _are_ still pretty tipsy. Her eyes are blown and blue and her chest is bright pink. Gale presses a warm kiss between her breasts and Madge bites her lip, tipping her head backwards and exposing her neck to him. "Madge," he breathes as he kisses upwards.

She moans again. _Faster_. He picks up his pace as she gasps in surprise, in relief.

Just like she did earlier she comes with an exclamation of his name, and then he follows shortly after. A few sweet kisses later Gale peels away to throw away the condom, and by the time he returns Madge is nearly asleep. She smiles at him as she sinks into his pillows. "Mine," she whispers.

Gale grins, climbing into bed beside her. He pulls her flush against him. "Yours," he echoes. "_Te amo_," he adds a tone softer. But she doesn't respond because she's already asleep. He hasn't felt this content in ages. Like everything is just where it's supposed to be. "_Te amo_," Gale whispers again before feeling his own eyes get heavy. _I love you. And I'll tell you soon_.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry it's been so long! Every time I went to post I was like "well New Years is actually coming up... I should just wait!" but I was having a bad day and decided to get this done, so I hope you like it! Happy holidays, everyone! _


	27. so we fight hard and we fight strong

_we take it down from deep within_  
_far below the big blue sea_  
_where the whales and creatures swim_

* * *

God, Gale could certainly get used to waking up with Madge Undersee every morning.

They both have morning breath from drinking, which is kind of gross, but snuggled under the blankets together they're both warm and happy. It's the perfect start to a new year and Gale wouldn't want it any other way. Except maybe with fresher breath, but whatever. This is just as good.

They're past their argument from a few weeks ago and the world just feels so much more fresh. Like this year is really going to be a new start. A new beginning for the two of them, so they can grow together and learn together and _love_ together. And that's what Gale wants. The two of them together, conquering life one day at a time.

"What time does your family get back?" Madge murmurs as he suckles on her neck. Her skin is sweaty from the night before and her voice is thick and rough. "Because your mom scares me sometimes, and if she comes back to _this_…" Madge trails off as Gale snorts, peeling back slightly. When he looks back at her he could honestly shatter. Her golden hair is brilliantly messy, her sky blue eyes are bright and clear. "And if I'm looking to getting some _more_…" she trails off again, her hand easing down across his chest to find him beneath the sheets. Gale perks up when she strokes him and stretches forward to kiss her another time. Yes. More of this. Absolutely.

"Not soon, I don't think," he says. He shifts in a way to give her more access, her warm fingertips teasing him dangerously. "But okay, let's be honest baby, I've got no fucking clue." Madge laughs and pulls her hand away, and Gale practically groans. What he wouldn't give for _more_. "I can call them or something."

"Mm…" Madge wrinkles her nose. "I think I'll take a shower. Is that allowed, you think? Or will your mom murder me?"

Gale huffs. "Probably allowed if I'm fifty feet away." Though he would like to be there. Beside her. In the shower. God, even the thought of it is going to kill him. Madge gives him a quick peck before climbing out of his bed. "I'll make breakfast," he says as he watches her grab the bag she's packed with clothes for today. He's hungry, he knows she must be too. "French toast?"

Madge smiles brightly at him and off she goes to take a shower. It's another few minutes before Gale convinces himself to climb out of bed and get dressed himself. The spot Madge left is warm and smells like her, sweet and perfume-y. He wonders how often she'll stay at his dorm next semester, hoping it's enough that when she leaves his pillows will still smell like her. After stretching and pulling on some old sweatpants he dips into the bathroom she's in so he can brush his teeth and Madge peeks out from behind the curtain.

"Not today," she tells him as he looks hopeful to join her. Very hopeful. All he'd have to do is shuck his pants and hop in beside her. Steam is billowing out from behind and the mirror is foggy. "But definitely someday."

Gale laughs, finishing brushing his teeth before leaving her to make breakfast. Before he makes his way down the stairs he heads to Vick and Rory's room to mess up one of the sheets, just in case his mom checks to see if he actually slept somewhere else. Then he heads downstairs. While he cooks breakfast he flips through Snapchat on his phone, surprised to see that Bristel and Johanna were together for New Years at a place that looks packed – probably someone that Jo knows. She always seems to know a lot of people. Thom and Delly were together too but not at a party, they decided to stay in. He goes through his own Snaps, laughing to find that Madge had his phone for some of the night and posted a lot of pictures of her and Katniss taking shots.

Sooner or later Madge joins him in the kitchen. She's found one of his sweatshirts from high school and pulled it on and she looks snug and cozy. Her hair is still pretty wet but it's already starting to curl, and Gale wonders if he's ever seen her with her 100% natural hair. "Smells great," she tells him as she settles onto one of the old wooden chairs. "You call your family?"

"Nah. I'll text Rory." Gale closes out Snapchat to text his brother and then returns to cooking. "What're your plans for the day?" he asks. "Hanging out?"

"I'd like to say hi to your family," Madge tells him. "But want to get home soon too, you know?" Gale's phone dings with a message, and he tosses it to Madge to read. It's from Rory, says they're on their way. "I'll stay for a bit. Oh, but I got a parking permit for next semester. So you won't have to pick me up when we head back." Gale spins around, frowning. "What?" Madge asks with a little laugh.

"I like how you have to bother me to give you rides everywhere," he says.

"I don't," Madge returns. "This is easier. Besides…" she stands, placing his phone down on the table before crossing to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I still plan on bothering you every chance I get."

Gale's frown is quickly wiped from his face while a grin emerges instead. "Looking forward to it."

* * *

Eventually the Hawthorne's return and after a boatload of hugs and greetings Madge says that she should head home and see her own family. Hazelle kisses her on the forehead and Rory winks at her as Gale walks her out to her car.

"Text me," Gale murmurs as she goes to sit, and she nods in confirmation. He looks like he wants to say something else but bites his tongue last minute and then smiles. She climbs into her car and waves before speeding away.

Madge picks up a hot chocolate on the way home and when she arrives is happy to find her parents in the sitting room watching the news. "Morning!" she cheers. "Happy New Year!" Her father leaps to his feet to greet her in a hug, and then she quickly walks over to her mother and hugs her too. "How was your night?"

"Asleep before the ball," Mrs. Undersee responds with a hum, and Madge knows that it's true. Part of her is sad, wondering if her mother will ever get to watch the ball drop again. "Just like I predicted. And yours?"

But part of Madge is happy. Because she knows her mother loves her and her forward thinking allowed her to spend the night with a boy she cares about an awful lot.

Madge grins. "It was wonderful, thank you."

* * *

The rest of winter break seems to fly by much to Madge's disappointment. She's curled up on Gale's bed beside him as he clicks through some stuff with his laptop and they both know that they have to return to school in the next week. She wishes she could stay here forever, his warm body by her side, no threat of a million classes and papers to do for next semester hanging over her. Just her and him, side by side.

Suddenly he curses under his breath. Madge peels herself from the book that she's been reading (she doesn't thinks she'll have much time for leisure reading next semester and is trying so hard to squeeze in some books for fun before she drowns in work) and looks up at him. Gale looks distressed, his eyebrows brought together and his lips parted. "_Fuck_," he says again.

"What's wrong?"

"Fuck." He turns the computer screen in her direction, showing her the financial aid for next semester. "I can't—_Madge_, I can't afford to pay this much!" Gale scoots the computer off his lap and Madge sits up more, grabbing the laptop from him as he drags his hands frantically through his hair. Soon he pushes himself to his feet, the bed creaking under the release of his weight and the floorboards instead taking up wails. "I work so fucking hard and I just…" he trails off, clearly trying to find the words. Her eyes are scanning the computer, tuning out his words as she reads the screen. "I just don't understand why I can't do _anything _rig—"

"Gale," she stops him immediately. Her eyes are still scanning the screen and he's still tugging on his hair. Especially after all of the work he did for grants and scholarships he expected to have less to pay! Anger, grief, frustration, it rolls through him in waves and makes his stomach curl. "Gale look," Madge says. She lifts her gaze from the screen for a moment, beckoning for him to return to her side. He shifts on his feet and the floorboards whine another time before he crosses the room back to her. "That's now how much you owe," she says slowly, pointing to the annoyingly large number that he'd seen. "That's how much they're paying you." Gale pauses, shaking his head ever so slightly. "Look," Madge says again. "That's how much they're paying you!"

Gale grabs the laptop from her as he turns and sits on the bed and looks at the screen another time. "Madge," he rasps. He can see it with his eyes but it doesn't feel real. This _can't_ be real.

"Pending aid," she says, wiggling back up next to him and pointing at the words. "Look!" Her finger extends to the number below the box. "That's what you have to pay."

It's barely over one thousand dollars. That's manageable. That's completely manageable. Gale's voice is shaking. "That's it?"

"That's it," Madge confirms. "And well, books, but—" Gale throws his laptop aside and scoops Madge into his arms. He kisses her without restriction, pulling her as close as he possibly can as she shrieks and laughs. "Gale!"

"This was you," he pants, pinning his forehead to hers. His hands can't settle, from her shoulders to her cheeks to tangle in her hair. "This was—all those links you sent—the help…"

"Gale," Madge says again, her voice softer and brighter. "It's—you're amazing, you got the grants and stuff because you're _amazing_."

"I wouldn't have been able to without you," he breathes. If she hadn't been horribly stubborn, if she hadn't forced him to look at more options, if Madge hadn't reminded him how much she believes in him. The words _I love you _are perched on the tip of his tongue again but he can't say them. _I love you, I love you, I love you. My heart is aching with how much I love you._ Instead he kisses her again. "Thank you," Gale murmurs. "Thank you."

Madge wants to say again how it isn't because of her, that she _knew_ he'd be able to get scholarships and grants if he'd looked for more, but Gale kisses her and cuts her protest short. She accepts that instead and smiles wonderfully.

Gale isn't saying a thing but it's like Madge can hear him anyway. The way his tongue slides across her bottom lip, the way his hand eases gently, carefully, up her spine below her shirt, he's speaking volumes. When he inches away every once in a while, his swollen lips still brushing hers, he looks at her as though she's the moon on a clear night and he's never seen something more beautiful. It's a gaze so intense, so _pure_, especially for a boy like Gale, that Madge feels her heart doing literal twists in her chest.

It isn't until a long time later, with the laptop closed and tossed somewhere mindlessly and Madge's book forgotten after falling onto the floor, with Madge nestled into Gale's side as he plays with the tips of her hair, does he say something else. His lips whisper against her temple as she traces patters on his shirt.

"My family's never had a lot of money," he tells her. "I mean—that's… it's why I'm so weird about it." Madge tips backwards so she can look at him. "Neither of my parents went to school. Both of them work day and night to keep a roof over our heads. And to be able to go to school, to get a degree…" Gale trails off, shaking his head. "It's not something I thought I'd ever be able to do," he admits.

"But you're so smart," Madge murmurs as she reaches up to stroke his cheek. He bends in to kiss her then. Because there are so many things that he wants to say to her, that he's scared to say to her, and he hopes his kisses can convey that somehow. "If anyone deserves a chance like this it's you." Gale smiles, nudging his nose against hers.

"It's just—it always comes back to money. You know?" And though Madge wishes it wasn't true, she knows it is. She sighs before nodding slightly. "I just never want anyone else in my family—my siblings, my _kids_—to have to worry about it." Madge feels her chest grow warm at the mention of children. Gale'll want a big family, she's sure. Lots of little kids running around the house, a place that never feels empty. She knows that's not the point of this conversation but her face turns pink anyway, thinking about the possibility of a home for the two of them to call their own. "That's why I work so hard."

"It'll pay off," Madge tells him. "I believe that."

Gale kisses her again. "I do too."

* * *

A week later and after long tearful goodbyes to her mother, Madge heads back to school. It's nice to have her own car though to be honest, she does miss having Gale there. She considers FaceTime calling him so it's sort of the same, but instead she turns on The Slag Heap and drives carefully. It was always more fun with Gale, even when they weren't together. He had a way about him that was easy to be around. Just his presence made her feel less lonely.

Her eyes dart to the empty passenger seat with a small frown. She'll see him soon enough.

Back at her dorm Katniss is already there and unpacking. She smiles at Madge as she enters, quickly dropping the things that are in her hands so she can help Madge with one of her suitcases. "Jeez, Madge," Katniss says as she nearly falls over from the weight of one of the bags. "What did you _pack_?"

"My parents guilty-shopped this year for Christmas," Madge answered with a sheepish smile.

Once all her bags are inside the two of them finish unpacking, catching up on the past couple of weeks since the New Year party. It's nice to be back with Katniss. Madge hasn't thought much about housing next year but she hopes that Katniss is still in for whatever. They work as roommates and Madge wants to keep her in her life for a while.

"You and Gale seemed good that night," Katniss says as she finishes her last suitcase before climbing onto her bed. "Still good, I'm guessing?"

"Still good," Madge confirms. With their fight in the past, things have been going wonderfully. Sometimes it feels like there's something Gale wants to say but isn't, but Madge isn't pushing him. He does things on his own time and whatever it is he's been thinking about (she can see it in his _eyes_, conflicted yet still bright) he can bring up when he's ready. It obviously isn't something bad because they haven't been arguing or anything of the sort. "We'll see, though."

Katniss arches an eyebrow at her friend. "What? Are you expecting more fights?"

"No! It's just—I mean—I have to take seven classes this semester," Madge reminds her. She looked at her schedule the night before and screamed internally for a really long time. It's not so bad, with three Monday/Wednesday/Friday classes and three Tuesday/Thursday classes and one night class on Wednesdays. She'll survive, she's pretty sure, but she wonders if Gale will be okay with it. "It's just a lot."

"You'll find time," Katniss insists. "Peeta took six classes last semester and we were alright. Just have to manage your time, and you're good at that."

"Yeah," Madge nods in agreement. She'll find time. For Gale? She'd do anything.

* * *

Gale's just settled onto the couch in the living room when Thom bursts out of his room, holding his phone up to Gale. With a frown Gale reaches out and accepts the phone from his friend, lifting it up to his ear.

"Hello?"

Johanna's voice comes through the other end, "Hawthorne!"

"That's me."

"Listen, I know we just moved back," Johanna says, "I was just talking to Thom. But—like—I'm graduating at the end of this semester." Gale shoots Thom a look who nods as though he already knows what Johanna's saying, and he probably does. "So I'm having a weekend at the cabin."

"A weekend at the cabin," Gale echoes, his eyes darting to Thom who's standing a few feet away, grinning wildly and nodding his head.

"For just us," Johanna says. "Me, you, Thom, Bristel, Finnick. The old gang. Are you in?"

"Sure," Gale says. "Is this why Thom looks like a puppy?"

"I'll text you," Johanna says, and then Gale tosses the phone back to Thom.

He should've known something weird was up, because a few minutes later Thom returns to the living room with the phone left in his room, and he looks like he's about to burst. Gale lowers his own phone (Madge has been Snapchatting him that she's back and _God dammit _she looks good, he's about ready to head over to her dorm for crying out loud) and looks to his friend, wondering if he should ask or if Thom's just going to go for it.

Apparently he's just going to go for it.

Because he says, "I'm going to go for it."

Gale nods his head once. "Am I supposed to know what that means?"

Thom starts pacing. "This—you're going to think—okay."

"_Mierda_, Thom, use your words."

"I'm going to tell Bristel how I feel about her."

Confusion hits Gale like a brick. He blinks a few time, unsure that he heard Thom correctly, and then sits up a little straighter. He admits, "I'm confused." But Thom looks ecstatic, and ready to explode with this. "You and—what happened with Delly?"

"Nothing," Thom says. He deflates a bit, like he's not sure why Gale isn't excited for him. "But that—I love Delly, it's just—"

"Don't _it's just _me, Thom," Gale says. Suddenly he feels very defensive of the yellow haired girl. She's nothing but kind and supportive and lovely to Thom and they've been together for _forever_. "I need you to explain to me what in the hell you're _talking_ about," Gale nearly snaps.

Gale knew Thom was in love with Bristel freshman year, _but that was two years ago_. And Bristel had recently been into Thom but Gale hasn't spoken with her about it in a while so he has no idea what she still stands on that matter. And Delly! Delly exists!

"New Years with Dell… it was… it was fine," Thom says, still sinking. "But it's just not the _same_, I don't know. I couldn't stop thinking about B, and I know—don't look at me like that, Gale—I know that's shitty. But if I don't—if I don't tell Bristel how I feel then I'm going to lose it. She should know."

"And what about Delly?" Gale shoots back. He can feel the fire in his veins. Thom's his best friend but he can't support him through this. Through _this_? It doesn't make a lick of sense to him. "What're you going to tell her? Or are you just going to keep her on the backburner if things with Bristel don't work out like you want them to?"

"What the fuck Gale?"

He leaps to his feet and points at his friend. "Don't you _what the fuck_ me, Thom! Delly's a _person_! Who happens to _be in love _with you!" Thom scratches the back of his neck. "You're so caught up on a fucking fantasy from freshman year that you don't even know what you have!" Delly would move mountains for Thom, Gale knows that to be true. "Maybe you _should_ leave Delly, because she deserves better than _this_!"

Thom's shoulders are tight with tension. His eyes are dark. He shakes his head. The silence in the room is heavy. Gale doesn't know if he's ever shouted at Thom like this and he doesn't care. He doesn't understand, and he doesn't _want _to.

"I don't understand," Thom says.

"Me neither," Gale snaps back. "I thought you were better than this." Gale reaches down for his phone from the couch and starts off to his bedroom. "I'm going out," he calls over his shoulder. "Don't wait up."

He hears Thom's bedroom door click shut gently and Gale shuts his own bedroom door so he can think for a minute. He doesn't understand where this has come from, and he doesn't understand why Thom's willing to throw such a good thing away. He said it himself, that he loves Delly. Why's he trying to ruin it? Gale's thoughts jump to Madge. Delly's one of her best friends. Should he tell Madge what Thom said?

He sighs another time, lifting his hand to his right temple so he can rub it. He's getting a headache.

Thom has always been such a great guy, loving and genuine and sincere and _open_. Something must've happened that's making him act like this. But Gale can't sit around and try and figure out his friend's problem's for him. He doesn't have that kind of time.

_**From Gale – 8:25 PM  
Can I come over? I really need to see you**_

_From Madge – 8:25 PM  
Katniss is here_

A tiny smile takes Gale's face, even in the middle of this heavy stress.

_**From Gale – 8:26 PM  
Thats not why I want to come over. I just want to see you**_

He needs to feel grounded again, and Madge puts him at ease

_From Madge  
Then I'll see you soon._

* * *

**_A/N: Hi, sorry I'm the literal worst and haven't updated in FOREVER. But I 3 this fic and I'm glad there are still people out there who are looking forward to updates. Because it's been so long I feel like I have to remind people that Thom was super into Bristel their freshman year and she was like nah, and then she was like okay... so I feel like that's important. Thom is always such a good guy in like, everything, because he's Thom, but I decided to go down the Conflict Road because I love drama! Also I love gadge. Do you love them? I love them so much. My children. _**

**_Sorry it's been so long, if you're still here then thank you! I'm glad to hear it. Or sense it. Like, send me some vibes, I'll sense them. I love you all, thanks for reading!_**


	28. you're the air i need

_where are you tonight? _  
_anywhere but here_

* * *

With Madge stretched out on the couch, her head on Gale's lap as he massages her scalp and listens to her recount her week in extreme detail, Gale couldn't be happier. He's barely gotten to see her this week, which he understands, but it's been hard. FaceTime conversations at night while the two of them planned their schedules from their syllabuses wasn't cutting it. Neither was lunch every few days. This first Friday night together feels precious.

"I just couldn't _believe_," Madge is saying now, "how much _reading _he already assigned us! It's ridiculous, Gale. I don't know how I'm going to do it."

She tips her head in a way so he can work his fingers better through her thick hair. "I'll help," he says.

She laughs, and the sound is fantastic. "You're going to read my textbooks for me?" she asks.

Gale grins, shrugging. "Whatever you need, baby."

"Mmm." She's smiling but her eyes fall shut. "This feels so nice," Madge says softly. She wore her hair up all day and so he's paying extra attention to the bump her hair tie caused. She looks beautiful with her hair fanning out around her, content to lay here forever. But Gale has a feeling that she isn't necessarily referring to the head-massage he's giving her. He too could spend days like this. He wishes her classes weren't so early, that way she could stay over during the week. His dorm is closer to some of them anyway so maybe he can convince her to start keeping some clothes here. "I missed you," she sighs.

Gale bends down pressing his warm lips to her forehead. "I missed you," he echoes gently. "Next weekend's going to suck." Madge laughs again. Her eyes are bright and wild as she looks up at him as Gale relaxes backwards against the couch again. "I wish you could come to the cabin with me," he murmurs. Johanna said specifically that she only wanted the original gang. There are a few of her senior friends that'll be there too. And it's not the biggest cabin anyway. Gale casually slipped it in, wondering if Madge could come, but Johanna shut him down. "It'd be more fun," he says.

"It'll still be fun," she tells him. "And I'm going home anyway."

"Yeah, yeah."

Madge presses her lips into a kissy face and Gale takes it as an invitation, bending down another time so he can steal a quick kiss. "Maybe I'll come over Sunday night," Madge teases. Gale grins, leaning down another time to kiss her. The angle is awkward but her lips are warm. Just as he resolves to tangle his other hand in her hair and shift them so she's below him completely, Thom's bedroom door cracks open. Gale sits back up and his eyes find his friend, and once they make eye contact their eyes dart in different directions.

"Hi Thom," Madge calls.

"Madge," he murmurs back. "Heading out." Gale had tensed up until Thom was gone, and by that point Madge had noticed.

"What was that?" she asks as she props herself up on her elbows. Gale blinks a few times as she climbs to sit up completely. "That was weird," she says.

"What?"

"Gale." She frowns, nudging him. She's not an idiot, and neither is he. He knows exactly what she's talking about. He and Thom have been friends for ages, that's certainly not how they act. "Are you two fighting?" she asks.

"Something like that," he mutters. Madge arches a curious eyebrow at him and he sighs, sinking away from her as best he can. "It's nothing," he says. "I don't want to talk about it."

Gale's thought about it daily, if he should tell Madge about Delly and Thom's weird situation. He knows that Delly deserves some sort of warning regarding what could happen, or _something_, but Gale can't bring himself to do it. He doesn't see it as lying, exactly, just keeping his nose out of other people's relationships. Which he knows is awful, he just can't find a better solution. And besides, if he tells Madge and she doesn't think it's right to tell Delly, it'll just weigh down on her too.

"Since when?" she asks.

"I don't know, a week or so, I guess."

"And you don't want to talk about it?" Madge asks.

"No." Madge nods slightly and her eyes dart elsewhere. Immediately he reaches for her hand. "It's not that I don't want you to know," Gale says quickly. "It's not a _secret_. It's just a fight and I don't want to think about it. I don't get to see you enough during the week and I just—I don't want to think about it when I'm with you, I want to think about you. Okay?" Madge nods another time and he squeezes her hands. "Thom's being an idiot, is all."

"Okay." Madge squeezes his hands back. "But if you want to talk about it," she says.

He nods. "I know. Thank you."

* * *

Curling up next to Gale that night is a blessing. In his arms Madge always feels safe and warm, like nothing bad is happening outside of the bedroom, outside of their moments together. Like her mother isn't dying of cancer and she isn't already drowning in school work and Gale isn't fighting with his best friend. It's just them, curled together, with nothing else to do or to cloud their minds.

She falls asleep easily. But it doesn't last long.

It must only be an hour or so into the night when she sits up with a gasp, tears clinging in her eyelashes as she heaves for air. Gale sits up too, groggy, grasping for her at once.

"W'srong?" he croaks.

Madge blinks hard, quickly reaching up and swatting at her eyes. The room is dark and her thoughts are dark and everything, everything is dark. "Nothing," she breathes. "Nothing." Gale digs the heel of his hand into his eyes and squints at her, trying to make her out in the shadows of the room. "I'm okay," she tells him, trying to pull him back to lay down. "Just a bad dream."

Gale tugs her close so her back is flush against his chest. "Wanna talk about it?" he murmurs. His voice is thick with sleep and his breath is warm on her neck. _No_, she thinks. Because this is their safe space. His bed, with his arms wrapped around her. This is where there aren't any bad things. But her eyes are still wet and she does want to talk about it, she does. "Madge?"

"It was my mom," she whispers. Gale lets out a deep breath before nuzzling into her neck. His arm around her waist is firm. He presses his lips to her shoulder, a quiet sense of security to remind her that he's here. "It felt so _real_, Gale."

"Hey, it's okay," he says softly. His voice isn't as sleepy as a moment ago and it makes Madge's heart somersault knowing that he's forced himself awake just to comfort her. "You want to call her?"

"No, no," Madge shakes her head. Gale shifts a little, readjusting his arm around her waist. "I'll call her in the morning. She'll be upset if I wake her." Gale lets out another deep breath, fanning warm air across her neck. "It's going to happen someday," she whispers. Her eyes are burning with the tears she won't let fall. "Someday soon."

"Not today," Gale whispers back. "Not yet."

Madge sniffles and Gale kisses her another time, like he isn't sure what else there is to say. And truthfully Madge isn't sure either. After a beat of silence she breathes out, "I'm scared."

He's quiet for a moment too. "I know."

Gale tucks her tight against him and Madge blinks until the tears silently drip down her cheeks. It takes her much longer to fall back asleep, but there isn't anything else she can think to say.

* * *

In the morning Madge wakes with her ankles tangled with Gale's. One of his hands is knotted in her hair and she's rolled so she's crushed to his chest. Madge wrinkles her nose when she realizes that she's been drooling and in tries to wipe both her mouth and Gale's chest without being too obvious.

Gale wakes when she touches him and works to gently remove his hand from her hair. He blinks a few times before a smile graces his face and Madge smiles back.

"Morning," she says quietly.

"Morning," he croaks back. Madge decides to nestle back down into his side and they lay their quietly for a moment, soaking in the warm morning. Light is streaming through the windows turning the room yellow, and despite her nightmare Madge feels much better. "Madge," Gale starts slowly. The way he says her name makes her nervous, so she doesn't turn to look at him like she thinks she should. "I just… I want you to know that I'm here."

When he says that she finally does turn, looking back up at him with a tiny smile. "I know, Gale."

"I mean that," he says strongly. His hand moves to carefully caress her back. "It's going—it's going to be hard," he tells her. "I know. But if you ever need to talk about it, it's not a burden to me." Madge feels her eyes welling up with tears and again she can't move. He returns his hand to her head, gently combing through her golden locks. "_Eres todo para mi_," he whispers. "I'll do whatever you need me to do."

"What did that mean?" she whispers back. She's still struggling a little bit with some of the basic grammar of Spanish. "What you just said?"

"You are everything to me," he repeats in English. "_Eres todo para mi."_

"_Eres todo para mi_," she echoes, and she can feel Gale nod. She nuzzles a little closer. "You are _everything_ to me," she tells him. By the way he sighs she knows he knows she's not just repeating his words back to him. She means that, that Gale is everything to her. A strong, warm presence that keeps her grounded, that reminds her that tomorrow exists and can be better and brighter. "Thank you."

* * *

The first real week of classes, where professors aren't talking about the syllabus or explaining the attendance policy, passes faster than Gale expects it to. He's only taking five classes this semester and compared to Madge's seven it hardly feels like anything. None of it seems too difficult as of now but he's sure later in the semester it's going to get difficult.

In Gale's passenger seat sits Bristel, browsing her phone while she looks for some music to put on. In the back is Finnick. They're the only three in the car and Gale appreciates that because too many people make his head hurt. Thom's driving to the cabin on his own.

"You hear about Delly?" Bristel asks as she scrolls. Her voice is surprisingly neutral and Gale dips his head into a nod. "You know anything about that?"

Gale did in fact know about Delly and Thom's break. Wednesday night Madge called and cancelled dinner plans (it was only on-campus dining, nothing fancy) because Delly was having a breakdown. Thom apparently explained that he just wasn't sure what he wanted, but he did care about her, and he just needed some time. It left Gale with a bitter taste in his mouth. He still _has_ a bitter taste in his mouth.

He readjusts his grip on the steering wheel. "Nope," he lies.

Bristel makes a face. "Don't lie to me."

"Delly's a good one," Finnick chimes from the back. "Always so positive."

Gale focuses his attention on the road, thinking back to Madge's frantic phone call. "She just needs someone to sit with her," Madge had said, "God, she's a mess. No—it's—I'm sorry to cancel." Madge's voice was edged with panic as she talked. "I don't know if she's going to be okay tonight—yeah I'll call you." The responsibility of it all sat heavy in Gale's stomach. He wanted to shout at someone. Preferably Thom.

"They'll work it out," Bristel says from the front. "At least, I hope they do." She looks to Gale again, curiously. "They _will_ work it out, right?"

He doesn't answer her.

* * *

Johanna's cabin is full of loud music and shirtless dudes. Gale and his car had left a little late because Finnick had a Friday afternoon class and Bristel didn't mind hanging around a little later, so everything is in full swing when they arrive. Gale and Finnick somehow manage to find two beds that haven't been claimed upstairs, and they agree that they should lock the door before joining the rest of the party just in case anyone gets ideas of usurping them.

"I hope Bristel found somewhere," Finnick says as they start back down the stairs.

Gale had been told that Johanna's family cabin was small, but standing in the living room he has to disagree. It's probably the same size as his actual home, complete with and upstairs and a basement, a working kitchen, and probably a hidden movie theater somewhere. Johanna is already drunk, doing shots in the kitchen with some of her senior friends. There are at least a dozen people here. Thom is playing beer pong with some faces Gale recognizes. With a look to Finnick who looks just as confused of where to start as well, Gale realizes they'll probably be side by side this whole weekend. Especially since Gale isn't talking to Thom. Gale doesn't mind.

Finnick scans the room before asking, "Darts?"

"I'll grab some beers," Gale says with a nod.

* * *

The night passes in flashes. There's loud music that changes between The Slag Heap (indie crap Gale can't really get into despite Madge's insistence and love for the band) and Kesha (poppy techno music Gale can't really get into either). Gale doesn't mind spending his time with Finnick, he's friendly and admits that he doesn't really want to be here either despite his love for Johanna and his happiness at his upcoming graduation as well. At some point they play beer pong, at another point they're out on the porch looking into the snowy mountains, at another they're taking shots.

It's a typical party night, a typical party feeling, until around three am when Bristel collides with Gale with tears in her eyes.

The drunkenness dissolves from Gale immediately and he places an arm around her shoulder, quickly guiding her outside to the back porch away from the shouting party and loud music. Finnick seems to see this is private and lingers back, and soon she and Gale are on the porch alone together.

She's hiccupping for air repeating again and again, "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know."

"B," Gale says gently. "Hey, talk to me. What happened? What's wrong?"

"I don't _know_," she says again, frantically swatting at her eyes and shaking her head. Her hair is messy and wild, her face is pink from alcohol and maybe something else. "Thom—he—he…" she trails off, shaking her head again. "He told me…" she takes a deep breath. "What do I do, Gale?"

"What'd he tell you?" Gale asks, though he's sure he already knows where this conversation is going.

The words explode out of Bristel without any warning. "He told me that he has feelings for me," she croaks, her voice thick and confused. "That he isn't sure if he ever s-stopped, which it's—it's not fair, Gale, because of D-Delly and I—I have someone now, and I don't f-feel like that about him anymore but he looked s-so hopeful and he—I care so much about h-him and I don't w-want this to ruin _everything_ we've worked so h-hard for and—and…"

Finally she trails off, tears leaking from her eyes. "Hey," Gale says gently. "It's okay." She buries her face into his side and he holds her close. "Thom's confused is all."

"He tried to kiss me," she rasps. "I think I slapped him."

Despite himself, Gale laughs. Bristel peels back and looks up and he makes a sheepish sort of face. "He deserves it," Gale answers. "Like you said, it's not fair of him." Bristel nods before burying herself back into Gale's side. He waits a beat, his hand gently rubbing his friend's back, before asking, "You have someone?" A strangled sort of cry escapes Bristel and she tries to bury herself more into Gale's side. She must be drunk, he thinks, because Bristel isn't one to cry like this. Not that she's a cruel sort of person but she always finds other ways to deal with her emotions and crying isn't one of them. "Hey, hey," he says again, still rubbing her back. "It's okay."

"It's all so _complicated_," she cries. "It's not supposed to _be_ this complicated."

Gale agrees. Bristel sniffles. "Do you still want to be with Thom?" Gale asks.

She scoffs before pulling back. Bristel wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, and then her nose because it's snotty, and shakes her head. "No. Maybe a few months ago but it's different now."

"Did you tell him that?" Gale asks, and Bristel nods. "Then that's what matters."

"I don't want—Delly doesn't deserve this," Bristel says roughly. "She's always been so great and Thom… ruined that—for me?" Bristel is still swatting at her eyes, shaking her head. "I feel like this is my fault."

"Oh, come on B," Gale says softly. "Don't do that. You know it's not your fault." She sniffles another time, shrugging slightly. "Thom's just a fucking idiot is all." A small smile takes her face again and Gale smiles. "Tell me about your guy."

Her smile flickers before she responds, "Girl."

Gale can't help but pause. "Oh. I didn't—sorry."

Bristel shrugs. "I would've thought too, I mean, she's the first." Bristel shakes her head as though there's a thought tumbling around in there she doesn't quite understand. "I didn't even think I _liked_ girls. It just—it makes it so much more complicated. I don't know." Gale isn't sure what to say. He doesn't mind, of course not, but he hadn't really been expecting it either. Bristel presses the heels of her palms into her eyes as though she's done crying and doesn't want to do it ever again. "It just kind of happened," Bristel says weakly. "And it was _nice_. It felt right."

"That's good, B. I'm happy for you."

Bristel hesitates. "It's Jo."

"Hanna?" Gale finishes. "Johanna? Mason?" Bristel jerks her head into a nod and suddenly everything seems to make sense. The two have been spending a lot of time together, Gale just assumed that they'd gotten closer. And, well, they had, just not in the way he thought. "That's—Bristel if you're happy, that's what matters to me. That's what should matter to everyone, that you're happy." By everyone he means _Thom_. If Thom really cared for Bristel the way he's saying he does, then he should be happy Bristel's found someone that makes her happy.

"I'm still—Gale, I don't know how to…" she trails off with a sigh. "It's still hard for me, to come to terms with."

"That's okay," he says.

"I'm just not ready to talk about it."

"That's _okay,_" Gale says again. "I'm here for you. You know I'm here for you." He opens his arms for her another time and Bristel slides into his grasp, this time with less tears. They're like that, standing in silence together for a few moments, before the sliding glass door is yanked open. Gale turns to find Johanna dipping her head out looking angrier than he's ever seen her. "Hey," he says.

"I'm going to beat the literal shit out of him," Johanna snaps, coming onto the porch and slamming the sliding glass door shut. Gale knows that she isn't talking about him. She strides to Bristel who moves over at once, switching her hold from Gale to Johanna. While Bristel buries her face into Johanna's neck Johanna looks up at Gale. There's a question in her eyes and Gale nods once, his lips pulling into a small smile, and Johanna nods back. "Let's get some sleep," Johanna says softly, stroking Bristel's hair.

With Bristel by her side, Johanna looks like a completely different person. Soft, kind, gentle. The two of them walk back inside quietly leaving Gale alone on the porch.

Sighing, Gale digs his phone out of his pocket and lowers himself to an old rocking chair on the porch. The wind whips through the trees and cuts through his long-sleeved shirt but there's just too _much_ happening inside. He doesn't check the time before he dials, lifting the phone to his ear and waiting for Madge to answer.

It takes a little bit but soon her sleepy voice comes through. "Gale?"

"Hey, baby," he says softly. "Did I wake you?"

"No, no." But her voice is thick like she was asleep. It makes him smile. The air is cold but hearing her speak makes him feel warm. "How's the cabin? Everything okay?"

"Shit ton of drama that I don't want to deal with," Gale murmurs. "How's home?"

"Fine," she answers with a yawn. "Mom went to bed early so I got a lot of reading for class done. But now I'm interested. Drama?" Gale laughs a little at the smile in Madge's voice. "Tell me, tell me!" He shakes his head, knowing she can't see it. "Is Thom wreaking havoc?"

"Something like that," Gale sighs. "I just wish you were here. Or I was there."

"Mmm. Me too." But Gale knows it's important for her to spend time at home with her mom, and important for them in general to spend some time apart. There's a loud shattering sound from inside the apartment and then some even louder cheering that follows. "What was that?" she asks.

Gale laughs. "You heard that?"

"Yeah."

Gale laughs again. "I'm not even inside," he tells her. "That's how loud everyone is." He shakes his head before resting it backwards against the chair. What he wouldn't give to not be on this could mountain with rowdy seniors, but instead curled up with Madge at his side. If he tries hard enough he can smell her shampoo. "I have an idea," he says softly. "For Valentine's day. If you're interested."

"Oh, always," she responds with another yawn.

He readjusts the phone against his ear as he listens to Madge's rhythmic breathing. "We stay in," he says softly. "I get a bottle of champagne, cook dinner, and we just stay in. Screw capitalism and all that."

"Mmm." He can hear her smiling again. "I like that. That sounds fantastic." Her voice gets a little deeper and it makes Gale's chest bubble with warmth. "I've got a little something for you too," she practically hums. "It's silky, and lacy, and red." Gale swallows his groan. He's already imagining Madge's pale skin contrasting with a variety of different garments she might've chosen. "Easy to remove," she adds.

"Good," Gale rasps. "Because I want what's underneath."

The laugh that bubbles out of Madge causes Gale to grin and sink further back in his seat.

He talks to her until she falls asleep on the phone, and then he whispers his love for her before hanging up. He's outside another few moments before there's another loud crashing sound from inside. With a deep breath Gale decides to head in and try and sleep himself, knowing he'll see Madge soon enough.

* * *

_A/N: Dang it I can't sneak anything past you guys! You had Johanna/Bristel figured out LIKE FOUR CHAPTERS AGO or something RIDICULOUS I wasn't even being OBVIOUS. Y'all're too much and I love it. Also I just love Gale and Madge a lot and hope that you do too. I realize that the chapter ending like that is kind of suspicious sounding? but he really will see Madge soon so omg sorry about that. Happy almost-Valentine's Day (; _


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